Taiwan Strips National Prize From Sakuliu Pavavaljung After Sexual Assault Conviction
Taiwan’s National Culture and Arts Foundation stripped Indigenous visual artist Sakuliu Pavavaljung of the 2018 National Award for Arts and ordered the return of the NTD 1 million (~$32,000) prize after a Supreme Court upheld his four‑year‑six‑month sexual assault conviction. The award, one of the island’s most prestigious cultural honors, had previously secured Pavavaljung a slot at the 59th Venice Biennale, which was later cancelled. This revocation marks the first use of the 2023 MeToo disqualification provisions to withdraw a national honor. The artist’s name has been removed from the award’s official roster.
Haitham Al Busafi to Represent Oman at 2026 Venice Biennale
Oman has appointed multidisciplinary artist Haitham Al Busafi to represent the nation at the 61st Venice Biennale, opening May 9, 2026. The Oman pavilion, curated by Al Busafi and commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, will showcase "Zīnah," an immersive...
2026 Art Basel Award Winners Announced
Art Basel unveiled 33 medalists for its 2026 Awards, highlighting a surge of Southeast Asian talent across categories such as Cross‑Disciplinary Creator and Established Artist. The roster includes Thai architect Kulapat Yantrasast, filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and a diverse group of...
Kazakhstan Presents “Qoñyr: Archive of Silence” At Venice Biennale
Kazakhstan’s national pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, titled “Qoñyr: Archive of Silence,” is curated by artist‑curator Syrlybek Bekbota and features nine Kazakh artists across six interconnected rooms. The exhibition interprets the multifaceted Kazakh term Qoñyr—encompassing a brown hue, nostalgic...
Chantana Tiprachart Wins Han Nefkens Foundation’s Southeast Asian Video Art Grant
The Barcelona‑based Han Nefkens Foundation awarded its 2026 Southeast Asian Video Art Production Grant to Thai artist‑filmmaker Chantana Tiprachart. The $15,000 award funds a nine‑month project that will be shown in 2027‑28 at six partner institutions across Europe, Asia and...
Vietnam to Debut at 2026 Venice Biennale
Vietnam will make its debut at the 61st Venice Biennale with a dedicated national pavilion titled “Viet Nam: Art in the Global Flow.” Curated by Đỗ Tường Linh, the pavilion showcases ten contemporary Vietnamese artists, including Lê Hữu Hiếu, whose...
Venice Biennale Artists Call to Bar Israel, Russia, and the US From 2026 Edition
Over 70 artists and curators signed an urgent open letter demanding that the Venice Biennale bar official delegations from Israel, Russia and the United States for its 2026 edition. They argue that hosting governments accused of war crimes and genocide...
UCCA to Launch New Outpost in Guangzhou
UCCA Center for Contemporary Art announced its first South China outpost, UCCA OneM, in Guangzhou. The venue will occupy the OneM Center’s Pazhou CBD complex, famed for a Guinness‑record 31‑meter red steel staircase. Partnering with local nonprofit OneM, the space...
Mongolia Pavilion Announces Artistic Team for 2026 Venice Biennale
Mongolia’s pavilion for the 61st Venice Biennale has been announced, featuring artists Nomin Bold, Dorjderem Davaa, Gerelkhuu Ganbold and Tuguldur Yondonjamts. The exhibition, titled “Entanglements: Connectivities Across Borders,” is curated by Uranchimeg Tsultem with Thomas Eller and will explore interspecies relations, spirituality...
Timor-Leste Pavilion Reveals Details for 2026 Venice Biennale
Timor‑Leste announced its 2026 Venice Biennale pavilion, titled “Across Words,” curated by scholar Loredana Pazzini‑Paracciani. The exhibition features textile artist Verónica Pereira Maia, sound‑performance creator Etson Caminha, and video artist Juventino Madeira, foregrounding the nation’s ethnolinguistic diversity and the memory of the 1991...
Alexey Morosov to Represent Kyrgyzstan at 2026 Venice Biennale
Kyrgyzstan has appointed Russian‑born artist Alexey Morosov to lead its national pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, opening May 9, 2026. Curated by Geraldine Leardi, Morosov’s immersive installation BELEK explores the country’s nomadic roots, the cultural significance of water, and...
Korea and Japan to Collaborate on Pavilions at Venice Biennale
Korea’s Arts Council has unveiled its 2026 Venice Biennale national pavilion, titled ‘Liberation Space: Fortress/Nest,’ curated by Binna Choi. The exhibition revisits the post‑war “Liberation Space” period (1945‑1948) and presents works by Goen Choi and Hyeree Ro. A landmark collaboration sees Goen Choi’s *Meridian*...
Letter From Pi Li: Róng Museum in Shenzhen
Pi Li has been appointed the founding director of the new Róng Museum in Shenzhen’s Houhai district, marking the first staffing decision for the institution. The museum, occupying roughly 4,500 square meters, is part of Tenova FUTURE’s M80 mixed‑use complex...
Jitish Kallat Appointed President of Kochi-Muziris Biennale
India’s leading contemporary art festival, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, has appointed Mumbai artist and curator Jitish Kallat as its new president. Kallat, a former artistic director of the 2014‑15 edition, will chair the selection process for the curator of the upcoming...
Indonesia Returns to Venice Biennale for 2026 Edition
Indonesia will re‑enter the Venice Biennale for its 61st edition in 2026, ending a six‑year absence since the 2019 "Lost Verses" pavilion. Curated by art critic Aminudin TH Siregar, the show – titled "Printing the Unprinted" – will juxtapose historic...