At the United States pavilion for the 2024 Venice Biennale, Jeffrey Gibson’s work was a joyful celebration of Indigenous life; in 2022, Simone Leigh’s was a hymn to Black sovereignty. How, then, did we get Alma Allen’s art from the “land of the bland” at this year’s edition? That’s precisely what Editor-in-Chief Hakim Bishara wanted to know. Read his full review for a snapshot of the sad state of affairs at this year’s US pavilion.
Also in Venice, Editor-at-Large Hrag Vartanian offers a peek into In Minor Keys, the main exhibition of the Biennale, which he calls “an unexpected symphony.” And in the Giardini, Greta Rainbow reports from a poetry procession in honor of Koyo Kouoh, the artistic director of the Biennale, who passed away last May.
More in this edition, including art crime scholar Erin L. Thompson’s reflections on a new film starring the unlikely duo of Ian McKellen as a painter and Michaela Coel as the forger hired to complete his unfinished works.
—Lakshmi Rivera Amin, associate editor
A Whole Lot of Nothing at the US Pavilion
After the last two Biennales searched the soul and history of this nation, how did we end up with this art from the land of the bland? | Hakim Bishara
At auction May 14, Swann’s spring offering of Modern & Post-War Art features a selection of works from the era’s best genres — Abstract Expressionism, Hard-Edge Abstraction, and Color Field painting — by Charles Alston, Al Loving, Howard Mehring, and more.
More From Venice
“In Minor Keys” Hits All the Right Notes
The Venice Biennale’s international art exhibition is an unexpected symphony that asks us to ponder what may otherwise be overlooked. | Hrag Vartanian
Artists Pay Tribute to Koyo Kouoh in Poetry Caravan at Venice Biennale
The late curator’s 1999 voyage with nine African poets inspired a moving procession led by María Magdalena Campos-Pons, writers, and musicians. | Greta Rainbow
Taiwan Presents “Screen Melancholy: Li Yi-Fan” at the Venice Biennale
Presented by the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, the Taiwan Collateral Event transforms the space into a dynamic stage at the Palazzo delle Prigioni.
News
- Workers at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City and local union organizers picketed the museum’s annual gala, demanding higher wages and better benefits.
From Our Critics
An Unlikely Friendship Between Artist and Forger
“The Christophers” is a twisty, delightful yet profound comedy that encouraged me to question my own relationship to art. | Erin L. Thompson
Keith Haring Before the End of the World
The artist’s free-handed style, on view in works at the Brant Foundation, feels prescient in light of the upcoming AI cataclysm. | Arthur Nersesian
Community
Required Reading
This week: Mamdani honors garment workers, a fake exchange with Sophie Calle, the first Black American tattoo artist, RIP Spirit Airlines, and more.
Art Movements: New Museum Names Its First Artist Studio Residents
Plus, Forge Project’s 2026 fellows, the Robert Therrien Estate leaves Gagosian for Zwirner, and this year’s Frieze uniform.
From the Archive
María Magdalena Campos-Pons Leads a Procession of Hope
With stops at sites of significance to Black and Cuban New Yorkers, the artist’s walking performance captures the essence of her practice: harnessing the collective toward a unified vision. | Valentina Di Liscia
Center for Craft – 2026 Craft Archive Fellowship
Four $5,000 awards will be offered to fellows conducting research on underrepresented craft histories. The fellowship will culminate with a featured article on Hyperallergic and a virtual program hosted by the Center for Craft. Read more on Hyperallergic.
Deadline: May 20, 2026 | centerforcraft.org
See more in this month’s list of opportunities for artists, writers, and art workers!
