Miracle Workers Collective Questions Nation-State Construct at 2019 Venice Biennale

Miracle Workers Collective will represent Finland at the 2019 Venice Biennale, with their pavilion located in the Giardini. The collective describes their work as 'anational,' exploring collective practice while rejecting nationality and nationalism as primary human categories. They question what it means to 'represent' Finland, noting that nationalism has reached 'new heights of toxicity' and the nation-state is an outdated concept alongside patriarchy. Their project began a year prior with the collective's founding and includes iterations in Berlin, Venice, Helsinki, and Karasjok, making Venice just one stop in a longer process. The collective emphasizes moving beyond structural inequities through new alliances and relations, rehearsing dreams of rebellion. They express surprise that anyone still considers the nation-state a viable experiment in organizing humanity. When asked about their exhibition plans, they responded with vague questioning about trespassing national constructs. The biennale runs from 11 May to 24 November 2019.