Alma Allen's U.S. Pavilion at Venice Biennale Opens Amid Controversy

Alma Allen's exhibition 'Call Me the Breeze' at the U.S. Pavilion of the 61st Venice Biennale opened in 2026, featuring a mix of new and old works inspired by Hieronymus Bosch's 'Visions of the Afterlife.' The show, produced in just a few months, includes bronze sculptures, wall hangings, and a towering 'ray of light' in the rotunda. Allen, who left the U.S. for Mexico in 2017, accepted the commission from the American Arts Conservancy (AAC), a secretive organization formed in July 2025. The AAC's executive director Jenni Parido previously founded a pet food company. Other artists including William Eggleston and Barbara Chase-Riboud declined the offer due to State Department requirements. Allen was dropped by his galleries Mendes Wood and Olney Gleason but now works with Perrotin. The AAC has been crowdfunding and listed Republican donors John and Amy Phelan among sponsors. Allen claims the AAC had no involvement in the exhibition's content.