No Italian Artists in 2026 Venice Biennale or City-Wide Shows

The 2026 Venice Biennale, opening in May 2026, will feature no Italian artists among the 111 selected by the late curator Koyo Kouoh and her team. Italy's presence is limited to its national pavilion. Major city-wide exhibitions also exclude Italian artists: Pinault Collection at Punta della Dogana will show Paulo Nazareth, Lorna Simpson, Amar Kanwar, and Michael Armitage; Fondazione Prada will host Arthur Jafa and Richard Prince; Gallerie dell'Accademia will present Marina Abramović; Casa dei Tre Oci will exhibit Joseph Kosuth; Ca' Pesaro will feature Jenny Saville and Hernan Bas; Peggy Guggenheim Collection will focus on the collector's London years; Anish Kapoor will reopen his foundation's palace; Palazzo Grimani will show Amoako Boafo. The article, by Alberto Villa, argues that Italian art is marginalized despite the country's rich artistic output and relevant themes like Mediterranean urgencies and second-generation artists. The official list of collateral events will be released on March 4, 2025, but no Italian names are expected.