As the Venice Biennale returns to the floating city for its 61st edition, fashion houses once again move beyond the runway and into the world of contemporary art, architecture and cultural patronage. Across Venice, luxury brands are using the Biennale as a platform to deepen conversations about creativity, heritage, and artistic collaboration.
The UAE Pavilion Explores Sound, Memory and Identity
This year’s UAE Pavilion presents Washwasha, curated by Bana Kattan, bringing together six artists whose practices investigate the soundscapes of the Emirates and the wider region. The exhibition takes its name from the Arabic word for whispering, exploring subtle forms of communication, oral histories and the invisible layers of sound that shape everyday life.
Artists including Farah Al Qasimi, Lamya Gargash and Taus Makhacheva examine themes of migration, technology, identity and memory through immersive installations and sonic experiences that resist fixed narratives. Rather than presenting a singular definition of the UAE, Washwasha reflects the country as a constantly shifting space shaped by movement, correspondence and layered histories. Developed through more than 18 months of curatorial research, the exhibition positions sound not simply as atmosphere, but as a way of archiving intangible cultural experiences often left undocumented.
BVLGARI Strengthens Its Commitment to Contemporary Art
Bvlgari inaugurates its role as the Exclusive Partner of La Biennale di Venezia until 2030 with two major artistic initiatives that firmly position the Maison firmly within the cultural landscape of Venice. At the Giardini della Biennale, the newly established Bvlgari Pavilion presents The Face of Desire is Loss by Canadian artist Lotus L. Kang, an immersive installation exploring time, memory and transformation through suspended photographic film, sculptural works and shifting light. The work continuously evolves throughout the Biennale as the materials react to light and humidity, creating a living installation that changes over time.
Alongside this, Fondazione Bvlgari launches its first-ever exhibition at Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana with works by Italian artists Lara Favaretto and Monia Ben Hamouda. The partnership reflects Bvlgari’s growing investment in contemporary artistic dialogue and its ambition to create spaces where art, experimentation and cultural exchange can unfold on an international stage.
ZEGNA Brings Art, Landscape and Material Together
As Main Sponsor of the Italian Pavilion, ZEGNA continues its longstanding relationship with contemporary art through Con te con tutto by artist Chiara Camoni, curated by Cecilia Canziani. The project reflects on coexistence, transformation, and humanity’s relationship with the natural world, themes closely aligned with ZEGNA’s own philosophy of craftsmanship, territory, and sustainability.
What makes the collaboration particularly distinctive is how the brand becomes physically embedded in the artworks themselves. Materials sourced directly from Oasi Zegna, including earth, ash and minerals, have been incorporated into the sculptures, while textiles from Lanificio Ermenegildo Zegna are woven into the installations. The result is a dialogue between art, landscape and material production that feels deeply rooted in the brand’s history.
The partnership also extends beyond Venice, with Fondazione Zegna set to present a parallel exhibition by Camoni at Oasi Zegna later this year, reinforcing the ongoing relationship between artistic practice and place.
Bottega Veneta Champions Lorna Simpson in Venice
Bottega Veneta deepens its cultural ties to Venice through its support of Lorna Simpson. Third Person at Punta della Dogana, marking the celebrated American artist’s return to Europe after more than a decade. Curated by Emma Lavigne for the Pinault Collection, the exhibition spans more than 20 years of Simpson’s work, examining themes of memory, race, identity, and representation through photography, painting, and large-scale collage.
For Bottega Veneta, the collaboration reflects a broader commitment to cultural patronage and intellectual exchange rather than traditional sponsorship. Under the creative direction of Louise Trotter, the Maison continues to align itself with artists whose work challenges perception and encourages slower, more reflective forms of engagement. The partnership also connects to the brand’s wider Venice initiatives, including its Bottega for Bottegas programme, celebrating local craftsmanship and its Venice-inspired Summer 2026 campaign, photographed by Juergen Teller. Together, the projects position Venice not simply as a setting for the brand, but as an essential part of its cultural identity.
