Maja Malou Lyse's Danish Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2026 Features Porn Stars and Sperm Bank Materials

The Danish Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale presents 'Things to Come', a project by Danish artist Maja Malou Lyse (b. 1993), curated by Chus Martínez. The installation combines a three-channel video developed with DIS, materials from Cryos (the world's largest sperm bank), performers from the porn industry, and architectural interventions by Common Accounts. The video was shot partly at Cryos in Aarhus and partly at a special effects studio in New York. A sculptural element features nitrogen transport containers from Cryos containing donated sperm discarded due to low motility, with LED screens showing footage from 'Sperm Racing', a sport linked to the manosphere. Lyse notes that the Venice Biennale receives about one million visitors in seven months, comparable to what Pornhub receives in twelve and a half minutes. The artist, who previously worked primarily with image-based platforms outside traditional exhibition spaces, describes the pavilion as one of her first major personal presentations within an art institution. The title references a 1930s science fiction film. The pavilion runs until November 22, 2026 at the Giardini della Biennale.