Marina Abramović Honored with Landmark Accademia Show

Summary

• Marina Abramović celebrates her 80th birthday in 2026 with ‘Transforming Energy,’ a landmark exhibition at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venicep
• Marking the first time a woman has been honored with a major solo presentation at the museum

Internationally renowned artist Marina Abramović will celebrate her 80th birthday in 2026 with Transforming Energy, a landmark exhibition at the Gallerie dell’Accademia. The show, opening May 6 and running through October 19 during the 61st Biennale Arte, marks the first time a woman has been honored with a major solo presentation at the museum.

Curated by Shai Baitel of MAM Shanghai, the exhibition unfolds across both permanent galleries and temporary spaces, setting Abramović’s pioneering practice against Renaissance masterworks. Her iconic performances, from “Rhythm 0” (1974) to “Balkan Baroque” (1997), will be presented alongside new works created for the occasion. Visitors will also encounter her interactive “Transitory Objects,” stone and crystal structures that activate what Abramović calls energy transmission through physical contact.

One highlight is the staging of “Pietà (with Ulay)” (1983) in direct dialogue with Titian’s final “Pietà,” completed in the sixteenth century. This pairing reframes themes of grief and transcendence across time, underscoring Abramović’s exploration of endurance and spiritual transformation. By centering the viewer’s own body within the work, the exhibition invites an experience that is participatory, reflective, and rooted in the possibility of inner change.

“This is a transformative moment — not only for the Gallerie dell’Accademia, but for the role museums can play in the future. Placing Marina Abramović’s work within the permanent collection brings past and present into direct dialogue, and invites audiences to inhabit that space with their own bodies,” said Baitel.

Gallerie dell’Accademia
Calle della Carità
1050, 30123 Venezia VE
Italy