Moldova inaugurates first national pavilion at Venice Art Biennale

Moldova has officially inaugurated its national pavilion at the 61st edition of La Biennale di Venezia, marking the country’s first official participation in the prestigious international contemporary art event.

According to the Culture Ministry, the pavilion presents the project, On the Thousand and Second Night, created by Pavel Brăila and curated by Adelina Luft. The opening event took place in the Santa Veneranda space within Chiesa dei Santi Geremia e Lucia, in the presence of artists, curators, representatives of cultural institutions, as well as a large audience of international art professionals and journalists.

The exhibition is open to the public starting from May 7 and can be visited until November 22, 2026.

Culture Minister Cristian Jardan said that Moldova’s participation in the Venice Biennale represented “a significant moment for the country’s cultural diplomacy,” emphasizing the international public’s interest in the Moldovan art project.

This year’s edition, titled, In Minor Keys, explores new perspectives on contemporary realities. In the context, Pavel Brăila’s installation offers a reflection on the relationship between the technologies of war and the cultural imagination.

The work, installed in the Santa Veneranda Chapel, features carpets suspended between the floor and the vault with the help of drones. One of the carpets on display comes from the village of Olanesti and belongs to the artist’s aunt. The installation creates a contrast between fragility and technology, transforming drones—often associated with surveillance and conflict—into a symbol of support and protection.

According to the organizers, the project activates an imaginary inspired by One Thousand and One Nights, using storytelling as a form of solidarity and collective imagination.

Moldova’s participation in the Venice Biennale is organized by the Moldovan Culture Ministry in cooperation with the Moldovan Foreign Affairs Ministry and reflects efforts to strengthen the country’s cultural presence on the international stage.

Pavel Brăila lives and works between Chisinau and Berlin and is one of the best-known Moldovan artists on the international scene. His works have been exhibited in major institutions, such as Tate in London, Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, and Moderna Museet in Stockholm.