ZHANNA KADYROVA

Ukrainian Pavilion

61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia

'Security Guarantees', a project by Zhanna Kadyrova, will be presented at the Pavilion of Ukraine during the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, from May 9 to November 22, 2026.

For over 20 years, Ukraine has maintained a vibrant presence at La Biennale di Venezia. This year, Kadyrova’s project reflects on fragility and resilience through Origami Deer, a sculpture originally installed in 2019 in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, on the site of a dismantled Soviet jet aircraft that once carried nuclear weapons.

Evacuated from the frontline in 2024, the sculpture’s journey mirrors key moments in Ukraine’s recent history and raises questions about the meaning of security guarantees today.

Before reaching Venice, the sculpture will travel across several European cities: Warsaw, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Brussels and Paris, where the public will have the opportunity to encounter the work along its journey. More information about the programme in each city can be found on the official page of the Pavilion of Ukraine.

The project unfolds across two locations in Venice: the sculpture will be presented in public space on Riva Ca’ di Dio, while the exhibition in the Ukrainian Pavilion at the Arsenale features archival materials and video documentation of the sculpture’s evacuation and journey across Europe.

The “Security Guarantees” exibition is curated by Ksenia Malykh and Leonid Marushchak. The public programme is curated by Katia Khimei and Ivanna Kozachenko.

The project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Сulture of Ukraine, UNESCO, Sushko Philanthropy,  ⁠NGO “Museum Open for Renovation” and Promprylad Art Center.