Bana Kattan is curator of National Pavilion UAE, Venice Biennial 2026

The National Pavilion UAE has announced the appointment of Bana Kattan, Curator and Associate Head of Exhibitions at Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, as curator of the UAE's upcoming participation in the 61st International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia in 2026 (May 9-November 22, 2026; pre-opening May 6, 7, 8).

- Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

Kattan was selected by a committee of leading figures from the UAE's creative sector, including representatives from government, museums, and universities. Before joining Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Kattan served as Associate Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, where she curated exhibitions featuring multigenerational artists, including Wafaa Bilal (2025), Maryam Taghavi (2024), and Mona Hatoum (2023).

She holds an MA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is a recipient of the Barjeel Global Fellowship and Getty-CAA International Program Grants. Previously, at NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, she curated a research-driven exhibition programme, including Permanent Temporariness by Sandi Hilal and Alessandro Petti (2018), exploring themes of displacement and refugeeness, and But We Cannot See Them: Tracing a UAE Art Community, 1988-2008 (2017), which highlighted a group of pioneering Emirati artists and the interconnected nature of their community. Born in Abu Dhabi and raised in the UAE, Kattan is deeply connected to the country's cultural landscape, having witnessed the growth and evolution of its artistic community. Drawing on her experience in the region, she has played an active role in shaping discourse around the UAE's contemporary art scene. Her work engages with sociopolitical and historical themes, while fostering dialogue among both emerging and established artists, across generations, disciplines and various media. She is currently based in New York City.