Holy See 2026

Title: The Ear is the Eye of the Soul
Commissioner: Card. José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See
Curators: Hans Ulrich Obrist, Ben Vickers
Exhibitor: Soundwalk Collective, Brian Eno, Suzanne Ciani, FKA Twigs, Patti Smith, and more

The Holy See Pavilion presents “The Ear is the Eye of the Soul” at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Ben Vickers, and realised in collaboration with Soundwalk Collective, the exhibition is spread across two venues: the Mystical Garden of the Discalced Carmelites and the Complex of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice. The project responds to a curatorial call to slow down and listen, drawing inspiration from the life of Saint Hildegard of Bingen, a medieval abbess, composer, and healer.

In the Mystical Garden, the first part of the Pavilion features sound works by 20 contemporary artists who respond to Hildegard’s visionary images and chants. Visitors engage with these commissions through headphones and a site-specific instrument that monitors the garden in real time. The second venue, the Complex of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice, functions as a contemporary scriptorium. It houses a living archive of Hildegardian texts, artist books, and new architectural elements. This site also features the final work of the late filmmaker Alexander Kluge, a twelve-station film and image installation. The presentation builds upon the architectural project “Opera Aperta”, continuing the Holy See’s commitment to the restoration of this industrial space.