Beyond the Biennale Pavilions: New Art Sites Across Venice

Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo's redevelopment of San Giacomo island opens on 7 May, transforming abandoned Napoleonic-era powder magazines into exhibition spaces. The inaugural show features Matt Copson's first Italian solo exhibition, with theatrical installations exploring life cycles, alongside a group show from the Sandretto Re Rebaudengo collection with site-specific commissions. American artist Melissa McGill presents Marea (30 April-10 May) on Corte Nova, where around 100 paintings created with residents and Iuav University students are strung across the street. The lagoon-blue and green works reference rising sea levels and climate change, endorsed by the Italian National Commission for Unesco and the Italian Ambassador to the US. Dale Chihuly returns to Venice with Chihuly: Venice 2026 (until 14 November) at the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, opening 5 May. Three monumental installations along the Grand Canal include Gold Tower (2025) at Palazzo Franchetti, a 30ft-high glass sculpture. The exhibition is presented by Pilchuck Glass School and Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. Wallace Chan's Vessels of Other Worlds (8 May-18 October) at the Chapel of Santa Maria della Pietà features three titanium sculptures modeled on Olea Sancta vessels, with intricate details. A parallel exhibition opens 18 July at the Long Museum in Shanghai, with suspended elements and a video triptych connecting the two venues.