61st Venice Biennale: Tech, Sperm Banking, and Critical Minerals

The 61st Venice Art Biennale, themed "In Minor Keys" and curated by Koyo Kouoh, deliberately sidesteps direct interactions with technology, instead emphasizing a sensory and emotional reconnection with art. Technology is present in several national pavilions: Denmark showcases Maja Malou Lyse's "Things to Come," which examines reproductive technology at the Cryos sperm bank; Japan's Ei Arakawa-Nash invites attendees to engage with baby dolls, reflecting on declining birthrates; and Finland's Jenna Sutela embodies winds through meteorological data. Kader Attia's installation probes the spiritual dimensions of digital technology, while Alfredo Jaar's "The End of the World" underscores the geopolitical ramifications of critical minerals. Éric Baudelaire's film captures the automated global flower trade. The Biennale is set to take place from April to November 2026 in Venice.