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Andreas Angelidakis Splits Greek Pavilion for 61st Venice Biennale with 'Escape Room'

exhibition · 2026-04-22

From 9 May to 22 November 2026, Andreas Angelidakis will showcase his exhibition 'Escape Room' at the 61st Venice Biennale, representing Greece. This project, situated in the Giardini, divides the national pavilion and alludes to Greece's National Schism. The exhibition will feature the 1983 hit 'Relax' by Frankie Goes to Hollywood as its soundtrack and is inspired by the pavilion's architecture from 1934. Influences include the AIDS crisis, James Baldwin, and the 1922 Lausanne Convention. Curated by George Bekirakis with support from The Onassis Foundation, Angelidakis acknowledges the impact of Cecilia Alemani's 2022 Biennale and highlights Paola Revenioti as a significant Greek artist. He has previously worked in Brescia, Torino, and Bologna, viewing national pavilions as reflections of identity.

Key facts

  • Andreas Angelidakis represents Greece at the 61st Venice Biennale
  • The exhibition 'Escape Room' splits the Greek Pavilion in two
  • The Venice Biennale runs from 9 May through 22 November 2026
  • The Greek Pavilion is located in the Giardini
  • Curator George Bekirakis organizes the presentation
  • The Onassis Foundation provides major support
  • The pavilion building dates to 1934, a period of fascist influence
  • Frankie Goes to Hollywood's 'Relax' serves as the exhibition soundtrack

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • ArtReview
  • Venice Biennale
  • The Onassis Foundation
  • Frankie Goes to Hollywood
  • Greek Pavilion
  • MOMus
  • Onassis Culture
  • Hellenic Ministry of Culture
  • Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center
  • Qualco Group
  • NEON Organization for Culture and Development
  • designboom
  • Ministry of Culture (Greece)
  • Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki (MOMUS)
  • National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (ΕΜΣΤ)
  • Onassis Foundation
  • documenta 14
  • Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
  • Galeria Municipal do Porto
  • Espace Niemeyer
  • Hayward Gallery
  • ETH Zurich
  • Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
  • Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
  • Columbia University
  • Biennial Foundation
  • Greek Ministry of Culture

Locations

  • Venice
  • Italy
  • Greece
  • Giardini
  • Istanbul
  • Brescia
  • Torino
  • Bologna
  • Fire Island
  • Athens
  • Los Angeles
  • New York
  • Kassel
  • Chicago
  • Porto
  • Paris
  • London
  • Zurich
  • Humlebæk
  • Thessaloniki

Sources

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