Morocco's Groundbreaking Pavilion at the Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is set to become a pivotal moment for Morocco's cultural presence on the international art scene. For the first time ever, this North African nation will showcase a national pavilion at the historic Arsenale in Venice, specifically within the Artiglierie space. The pavilion will feature an immersive installation titled Asǝṭṭa, conceived by the multidisciplinary artist Amina Agueznay and curated by Meriem Berrada. This remarkable exhibition will be open to the public from May 9 to November 22, 2026, and it aligns with the conceptual framework of 'In Minor Keys,' a theme selected for this edition by Koyo Kouoh.
In this context, the Moroccan pavilion invites visitors to reflect on silent narratives, memories passed down through generations, and the artisanal practices that endure over time. The title of the installation, Asǝṭṭa—an Amazigh term associated with the ritual act of weaving—serves as a metaphor for unity, transmission, and continuity. Designed specifically for the 300 square meters of the Arsenale, this installation is envisioned as a 'second skin' that is habitable, where materials, textures, and ancestral gestures engage in a dialogue with contemporary artistic language.
Amina Agueznay's Artistic Journey and Community Collaboration
With a background in architecture, Amina Agueznay has spent over two decades developing an artistic practice that is deeply connected to Moroccan vernacular knowledge. Her projects delve into the relationship between body, territory, landscape, and collective memory, always with meticulous attention to materials and traditional techniques. Previous works, including Skin, Curriculum Vitae, Aouinates, and Fieldworks, have showcased her ongoing quest to uncover the invisible links between tradition and contemporary creation.
To bring Asǝṭṭa to life, Agueznay collaborated with more than 130 artisans from various regions of Morocco, including weavers, embroiderers, beadwork masters, basket makers, jewelers, and apprentices who actively participated in the creative process. This project is more than just a one-off collaboration; it asserts craftsmanship as a form of thought and a living archive of knowledge transmitted through generations.
The installation is centered around the concept of the âatba—the threshold—understood as a transitional space between the interior and the exterior, the intimate and the collective, the sacred and the everyday. Through braids, knots, seams, and suspended structures, the artwork transforms each manual gesture into a trace of memory and belonging. Rather than presenting a folkloric view of tradition, Asǝṭṭa offers a living archaeology of crafts, highlighting talents that are often overlooked while placing artisanal knowledge at the heart of contemporary creation. Thus, the Moroccan pavilion emerges as an immersive space where visitors do not merely observe a piece of art; they traverse an experience built from voices, rhythms, and collective memories.
As reported by bonart.cat.
