Venice Biennale: The US Pavilion That Said Nothing
The Venice Biennale, a bi‑annual art festival, invites nations to showcase their cultural identities. Traditionally, the United States uses this platform to promote its values.
A Shift in Selection
Who chose the artist?
The National Endowment for the Arts was bypassed. Instead, the State Department handed the decision to a nonprofit led by Jenni Parido—former owner of a luxury pet‑food shop—and reality‑TV star Erin Scavino.New guidelines
Art must reflect “American values” and counter negative stereotypes. Topics of diversity, equity, or inclusion were explicitly prohibited—an echo of the previous pavilion’s focus on under‑served communities.
The Artist and the Exhibition
- Artist: Alma Allen
- Show title: Call Me the Breeze
- Mediums used: Stone, wood, and bronze
- Scope: Roughly twenty sculptures, most untitled
Critics described the work as simple and lacking depth, with one review calling it a puzzle that mocks the viewer. The exhibition offered little insight into what America truly stands for.
The Result
The US Pavilion’s silence on substantive themes left its presence defined more by governmental policy than by artistic expression. In avoiding a clear message, the pavilion ended up saying nothing at all.
