In 2026, Venice adds a new chapter to its cultural history with an event set to make a lasting impression. At the Gallerie dell’Accademia comes Transforming Energy, the major solo exhibition by Marina Abramović, the first living woman to occupy such an extensive part of one of the city’s most important museums. A powerful and symbolic milestone, coinciding with the artist’s 80th birthday and the Venice Art Biennale, turning the visit into something that goes beyond art: an experience to live, feel, and share.

Art you don’t just look at

This is not an exhibition to rush through or consume distractedly. Abramović invites visitors to slow down, to be fully present, to engage the body even before the gaze. The exhibition unfolds as a physical and inner journey, where the visitor becomes an active part of the work. The Transitory Objects — stones, crystals, essential structures — respond to human presence, creating a deep connection between space, matter, and energy. You don’t just observe here: you participate. And experiencing it together makes it even more intense, almost intimate.

Performance, memory, and energy

At the heart of the exhibition is a dialogue between some of Abramović’s most iconic performances and new installations designed specifically for the Gallerie and their visitors. From Rhythm 0 to Imponderabilia, from Balkan Baroque to Carrying the Skeleton, the journey explores universal themes such as the limits of the body, memory, pain, and transformation. The common thread is energy — physical, emotional, spiritual — invisible yet deeply felt. A language that speaks to those who seek art as a shared experience, not mere contemplation.

When the Renaissance meets performance

One of the most striking moments of the exhibition is the dialogue between Marina Abramović and Titian. Her Pietà (with Ulay) from 1983 is placed in conversation with Titian’s final, deeply moving Pietà, housed at the Gallerie dell’Accademia. Two works distant in time, yet united by the same universal themes: love, loss, sacrifice, transformation. The encounter between contemporary performance and Renaissance painting creates an emotional short circuit that makes the visit both powerful and unexpectedly relevant.

Venice, a story that comes full circle

For Abramović, Venice is more than just an exhibition venue. It is a place of the heart. She first arrived here as a teenager, overwhelmed by the city’s beauty; she received the Golden Lion at the Biennale in 1997; and now she returns to celebrate a personal and artistic milestone. Transforming Energy grows out of this deep connection — a return that becomes storytelling, memory, and renewal, in perfect harmony with the soul of Venice.

Why this exhibition is perfect to experience as a couple

Because it asks for time, attention, and listening. Because it places the body and the relationship with the other at its core. Because it doesn’t offer immediate answers, but opens questions to carry with you afterward — perhaps while walking along a canal or stopping for a glass of wine. It’s one of those experiences that doesn’t end inside the museum, but continues outside, in the slow rhythm of Venice.

And then there’s a final, very Venetian detail: visiting the Gallerie dell’Accademia means stepping into one of the city’s most iconic areas, just moments from the Zattere and views over the Grand Canal. You can turn the visit into a small daily ritual: a slow breakfast, the exhibition, a wandering walk through calli and campielli, and maybe an aperitivo to share what truly moved you. It’s the kind of experience that blends culture and real life — and makes Venice unforgettable.

Transforming Energy
📍 Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice
📅 May 6 – October 19, 2026

If you’re planning a trip to Venice in 2026, this exhibition is one of those reasons that make a stay truly special. Not just to see, but to experience. Together. Book here your stay.

Photo © Manfred Werner / Tsui –
CC BY-SA 3.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) – Wikimedia Commons
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