Commissioned under the patronage of His Excellency Sayyid Saud bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, the Sultanate of Oman pavilion located in the Arsenale, presents ZĪNAH (Adornment) by curator and artist Haitham Al Busafi.
ZĪNAH (Adornment) draws from the Omani tradition of Al-zaanah – silver ornaments crafted for horses that serve purposes beyond ornamentation. These pieces mediate the relationship between rider and horse through weight and movement, while also signifying care and mutual dignity. In this context, adornment becomes an ethical gesture, a way of recognising the horse not as a tool but as a companion worthy of beauty.
Positioned with the curatorial framework established by the late Koyo Kouoh, who was appointed artistic director of the 61st Venice Biennale, the installation responds to a call for a quieter, more introspective forms of art. The work transforms this cultural significance into a spatial experience with sand sourced from Oman’s desert providing a material and geographic reference, while a suspended arrangement of silver forms constitutes a structured overhead field.
His Excellency Sayyid Saud bin Hilal Al Busaidi shares “Oman’s participation in the 2026 Venice Biennale reflects a firm national commitment to strengthening its cultural presence on the international stage, and to positioning culture as a key pillar of soft power and a vital avenue for fostering dialogue and mutual understanding among nations. This participation aligns with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, which places growing emphasis on the cultural and creative sectors as drivers of sustainable development, and as platforms for expressing national identity through contemporary, globally engaged perspectives. We believe Omani culture holds the power to contribute meaningfully to the global cultural discourse, offering a civilisational model that speaks to the profound depth of the Omani experience. By drawing on rooted values of moderation, balance, and openness, we seek to cultivate an international presence that is both resonant and enduring.”
Al Busafi works across architecture, exhibition design and immersive spatial practices. His work is informed by international academic training in Vienna shaped through engagement with leading figures including Zaha Hadid, Kazuyo Sejima and Hani Rashid, informing his approach to contemporary spatial and technological experimentation. He is also the founder of Beyond.xyz, a virtual production studio in Saudi Arabia that focuses on bridging physical and virtual environments through real-time technologies.
The 61st Venice Biennale will run from 9 May to 22 November 2026
