Renowned performance artist Marina Abramović is set to make history once again with a groundbreaking solo exhibition at Venice's prestigious Galleria dell'Accademia, scheduled to open in May 2026 during the Venice Biennale. The 80-year-old Serbian artist will become the first living female artist to receive this honor in the academy's more than 250-year history, marking another significant milestone in her illustrious career.
This latest achievement adds to Abramović's impressive list of firsts in the art world. In 2023, she became the first woman to have a solo exhibition at London's Royal Academy of Arts, while in 1997, she made history as the first woman to receive the Golden Lion award at the Venice Biennale. These accomplishments underscore her pioneering role in breaking gender barriers within prestigious art institutions.
The upcoming Venice exhibition, titled "Transforming Energy," originally debuted at the Modern Art Museum (MAM) in Shanghai last year. The show draws significant inspiration from one of Abramović's most epic and emotionally charged performances: her legendary walk across the Great Wall of China in 1988. This extraordinary journey, undertaken with her former artistic and romantic partner, the late German artist Ulay, saw the pair begin at opposite ends of the ancient wall and walk toward each other for 90 grueling days. When they finally met in the middle, instead of marrying as originally planned, they chose to end their relationship, creating one of the most poignant performance art pieces in history.
The Venice exhibition has been carefully curated by Shai Baitel, the artistic director of MAM Shanghai, working in close collaboration with Abramović herself. The show will feature "The Great Wall Walk (1988/2008)" alongside several of her other historic and influential performances that have defined her career over the decades.
Among the most notable works to be displayed is "Rhythm 0" from 1974, a six-hour performance piece that took place at a gallery in Naples. During this intense and controversial work, Abramović stood motionless in a room while inviting visitors to use various objects on her body as they wished. The available props ranged from harmless items like a candle, comb, and lipstick to potentially dangerous objects including a gun and an axe, testing the boundaries between artist and audience, vulnerability and violence.
The exhibition will also feature a re-enactment of "Imponderabilia" from 1997, another collaborative piece with Ulay in which the two artists stood completely naked in a narrow doorway, forcing museum visitors to squeeze past their bodies to enter the gallery space. This work challenged conventional notions of personal space, intimacy, and the relationship between art and audience.
Visitors will also encounter Abramović's newer works that incorporate precious stones such as quartz and amethyst, representing her evolving artistic practice and continued exploration of energy and transformation. Additionally, the deeply personal photograph "Pietà (with Ulay)" from 1983 will be on display, showing Abramović cradling Ulay's body in her lap in a pose reminiscent of Michelangelo's famous sculpture.
In a particularly meaningful curatorial decision, "Pietà (with Ulay)" will be displayed alongside Titian's "Pietà," the unfinished final painting by the Renaissance master. This juxtaposition is especially significant as 2026 marks the 450th anniversary of Titian's masterpiece, creating a powerful dialogue between contemporary performance art and classical Renaissance painting.
Reflecting on her deep connection to Venice, Abramović shared a touching personal memory in a recent statement. She recalled her first visit to the Venice Biennale at age 14, accompanied by her mother. "We travelled by train from Belgrade, and as I stepped out of the station and saw Venice for the first time, I began to cry. It was so incredibly beautiful—unlike anything I had ever seen," she reminisced. Since that transformative moment, returning to Venice has become a cherished tradition for the artist, and after receiving the Golden Lion in 1997, the city has held a special place in her heart and career.
"Marina Abramović: Transforming Energy" will run from May 6 through October 19, 2026, at the Galleria dell'Accademia in Venice, coinciding with the Venice Biennale and promising to be one of the most significant art exhibitions of the year.
