Miet Warlop is representing Belgium at the Biennale Arte 2026 with the performative exhibition IT NEVER SSST. With this choice, the Flemish Community seeks to showcase the artist’s twenty-year artistic trajectory, while also recognizing Belgium’s strong tradition of performance and interdisciplinarity. This presentation marks the first time that performance art will take centre stage in the Belgian pavilion.
Performers will regularly activate the installation through physical and sculptural rituals. The title refers to the turbulent time in which they keep moving forward, doing everything to avoid a standstill. Warlop’s work explores the urgency of human connection in an increasingly disorienting world, transforming the Belgian Pavilion into a space of energy, tension, and shared emotional experience.
Edition
61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia
Exhibition times
9 May – 22 November 2026, Tue–Sun
Performance times
Tue–Wed & Fri–Sat, throughout the day
- May: 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23
- June: 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 26, 27
- July: 21, 22, 24, 25
- August: 18, 19, 21, 22
- September: 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19
- October: 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24
- November: 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22
Venue
Belgian Pavilion, Giardini della Biennale, Sestiere Castello, 30122 Venice, Italy
The project travels to Kanal-Centre Pompidou, Brussels, Belgium in March 2027
TEAM
An exhibition-performance by Miet Warlop
Curator
Caroline Dumalin (MORPHO)
Performers
Rita Brancato, Rahmat Emonds, Giulia Longoni, Alice Marchiori, Lisa Sieni, Melvin Slabbinck, Wietse Tanghe
Sculptors
Riccardo Barichella, Martina Barresi, Giulio Bertacchini, Andrea Bortolotto, Leonardo Costerman, Riccardo Feltrin, Desirè Marcato, Francesco Mazzolin, Nicole Racchi, Anna Velludo, Filippo Zussa
Music
Micha Volders, Miet Warlop, Oscar Claus, Rahmat Emonds, Melvin Slabbinck, Wietse Tanghe
Music Production
Micha Volders
Sound
Oscar Claus, Thybaud Monterisi, Micha Volders
Costumes Design and Production
Carol Piron (TOMBOY®)
Dramaturgical Consultant
Giacomo Bisordi
Choreographic Consultant
Nathan Ooms
Project Manager and Artistic Consultation
Guy Gypens (Kanal)
Production Presentation
Kwinten Lavigne
Production Managers
Polina Filimonova, Rossana Miele
Luna Riche, Claire Szulc (Kanal)
Production Assistant
Juli Bierich
Sculptural Production
Barbara Vackier
assisted by Hannah Lefever
Sculptural Engineering
Mattis Clement
Pavilion Coordinator
Giulio Piovesan
Artist’s Assistants
Ginger Bogaert
Mattis Clement
Assistant Curator
Darly Benneker
Technicians
Max Bernaerts, Axel De Marteau, Jonathan Maes, Brice Muylle, Michael Smets, Cédrik Toselli, Benne Wylin (Kanal)
Communication
Marie-Julie Dellaert, Dieter Vanthournout (Kanal)
Graphic Design
Sophie Keij
assisted by Felipe Minicucci, Laure Azizi, Aaron Neubauer
Web Development
Joel Galvez
Press
Serenai/Nakami (Belgium), Sam Talbot (International), David Salomonowicz (Kanal)
Friends & Partners Coordination
Martin Bailly (Kanal), Laure Decock, Frederick Gordts
Administration
Lize Meynaerts, Claïs Lemmens Boon, Ingrid Van Samang (MORPHO)
Young Curators Programme - Fellows
Maartje Claes, Natalija Gucheva, Anna Laganovska, Claris Ramnoux, Eline Ringhausen, Carla Robin
Young Curators Programme - Coordinator
Laila Melchior
Volunteers
Elias Demuynck, Noor Flamey, Viktor Van Hoof
Sculptural Assistance (Student Workshop)
Margot Ally, Sarah-Lisa Bobelyn, Nora Bundervoet, Clémence Cedent, Maya De Block, Ibe De Cat, Mien De Ganck, Nausika De Nil, Ruben De Raeymaekers, Arend De Smedt, Lou De Smedt, Noona Deleu, Jean Descamps, Yael Grunwald, Olivia Leman, Lina van Lieshout, Iluna Nifri, Viona Notte, Elisa Palm, Marianne Van Caekenberghe, Merel Van den Eynde, Maya Van Renterghem, Nel Vanlauwe, Thor Verhoeven, Benjamin Vermoeven, Fran Weymiens
SUPPORTERS
A project by Flanders, State of the Art
Commissioner
Caroline Gennez, Flemish Minister for Welfare and Poverty Reduction, Culture and Equal Opportunities
Organisation
Department of Culture, Youth and Media
Jury
Heidi Ballet, Bert De Leenheer, Zoë Gray, Laura Hanssens, Ivo Provoost, Stéphane Symons, Pieternel Vermoortel, Bert Schreurs (chairman)
Institutional Partners
MORPHO, Kanal-Centre Pompidou, Miet Warlop/Irene Wool, KASK & ArBA-EsA (Young Curators Programme)
Main Partners
Nationale Loterij / Loterie Nationale, Proximus Art Collection, ING Art Collection
Partners
Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia, Bodies in Space, Delegation of Flanders - Embassy of Belgium in Italy, Live Arts Cultures, TheMerode, MANIERA
The Friends of the Belgian Pavilion 2026
Art Brussels and Art Antwerp, Siska Bulkens & David Vanbiervliet, Dries Criel & Valérie Maselis, Dirk De Nul & Annemie Van de Casteele, Frédéric de Goldschmidt, Frederick Gordts, KU Leuven, Pierre Lannoy, Martine de Limburg, National Bank of Belgium, Francis Vanhoonacker, Bert Van Welden, Wilgelover nv, Zeno X Gallery – Frank & Eliane Demaegd-Breynaert
