On why artists choose not to represent their state at the Venice Biennale (2026)

- from ‘The Artist & the Art World’ series.

“Venezia — Giardini della Biennale, padiglione italiano — Foto di Paolo Steffan” by Vaghestelledellorsa, Paolo Steffan is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

I have already written, a couple of years ago on here, about why artists choose not to represent their state at the Venice Biennale, or any other biennale, because I am one of them.

In my case, deciding never to send in a proposal to the local governing body that selects which artists get to represent the state at the Venice Biennale, comes with more real consequences than if I were from another state. The state I am from is tiny, and I am considered to be one of its main creatives in the visual arts field. Indeed, if I had opted to send in proposals, there’s a big chance that my work would have already been inside the state’s pavilion in Venice. Opting out of it means that I am giving up opportunities, maybe significant ones, if my work is any good, that is.

In this story which continues on Substack, I write to check what my state of mind is about participating in the Venice Biennale. I also write about this edition of 2026 in which the irreconcilable parts that make up the biennale, or any other biennale, seem to be starting to fall apart.

The series ‘The Artist & The Art World’ is about me navigating the art world. This writing is a way for me to comprehend what creation is, what the ‘artist’ is, to make it through the chaos of the art world and the world, in order for me to be able to stay sane. What I write is subjective; I jot down my observations, and I let my thoughts flow. Some of these may be unconnected, arguments may be incoherent, and I may change my mind and disagree with them later.

There’s only one person behind ART/IST, an artist trying to make sense of the art world and the world while also sharing some knowledge about art. I hope you get something out of my writing. Your comments are always welcome.