This spring, HIAA Affiliated Professor Gwendolyn Collaço announced the opening a major exhibition of work by Azerbaijani artist Faig Ahmed that she curated for the prestigious Venice Biennale art exhibition and festival. The 61st Venice Biennale, titled In Minor Keys, opened on May 9 and will be on view through November 22, 2026.

Collaço, an expert in Islamic art and a member of the special collections staff at the University’s John Hay Library, collaborated with acclaimed textile artist Faig Ahmed to curate his site-specific exhibition, “The Attention,” for the Azerbaijan pavilion at this year’s festival. Ahmed's conceptual works utilize both traditional decorative craft techniques and digital processes to distort ancient textile patterns, creating contemporary textile works.

One of the most prestigious and longest-running cultural events in the world, the Venice Biennale includes a central art exhibition as well as dozens of national pavilions organized by different countries.

Congratulations to Gwendolyn on this tremendous curatorial project!

READ ON: News from Brown