Venice Biennale, The Nationals: Lebanon

For those who have the 55th Venice Biennale on their itineraries, we offer quick picks in the form of slide shows, appearing over the coming days, of one- and two-person shows at the national pavilions. With 88 countries participating, 10 for the first time, it’s impossible to be comprehensive. So we aim to serve visitors with limited time, attending just the two main venues: Giardini and Arsenale. Wherever you wander in Venice, however, keep your eyes peeled for the red Biennale logo, signaling nationals tucked into churches and palazzi.

Photos by Paola Ferrario.

ACT OF CONSCIENCE: LEBANON (Arsenale) In a true-life story poetically inflected via architecture and text, Akram Zaatari’s poignant video installation Letter to a Refusing Pilot addresses the act of an Israeli soldier who refused to bomb a school during the Lebanese Occupation of the early ’80s.

Akram Zaatari’s contribution is curated by Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath.