Art on Cowlpane

Art and politics collide as protests reframe the Venice Biennale

Sat, 09 May 2026 12:13:59 +0000

Originally published by Monocle

As the gates of theVenice Biennaleopen to the public today, the heavy doors of the Russian pavilion will close. The substantial security contingent pacing around the building’s perimeter was kept busy by protesters voicing their opposition to both Russia and Israel’s inclusion in this year’s festival.

On Wednesday, with hot pink balaclavas and even hotter fuchsia flares in tow, the art collective Pussy Riot’s chanting forced the Russian pavilion to temporarily close its doors. By the end of Vernissage – the preview week for press and VIPs – an impeccably dressed lone woman stood outside in a fedora, sunglasses and striking checked suit. But it wasn’t her style that kept a steady stream of smartphones and television-news cameras pointed in her direction. On her back was a sign that read: “NO PUTIN NO WAR”. The bright blue Birkin swinging idly from her arm was emblazoned with a crossed-out illustration of the Russian leader’s face.

Five pavilions to see at the Venice Biennale

Sat, 09 May 2026 10:20:00 +0000

Originally published by Monocle

JapanWhile there might be few children elsewhere in the Giardini, Japan’s pavilion boasts roughly 200 babies. The dolls are hanging from the ceiling, creeping around fire extinguishers and roaming the pavilion’s perimeters. There’s even one peering down from the roof of the building. Visitors are invited to pick up and hold the weighted dolls or to even “change their diapers” (revealing a hidden QR code that leads to a poem). “The dolls weigh 5.5kg,” says artist Ei Arakawa-Nash. “It’s much heavier than you might expect, so usually people instantly smile and their facial expression softens. Until the show opened, I couldn’t have anticipated that.” The co-created performance is undoubtedly a strange one but it’s surprising how many who take part appear comforted by carrying around a doll. The result is tender and unexpectedly moving.

Marina Abramovic’s ‘Transforming Energy’ Makes History at Venice’s Accademia

Fri, 08 May 2026 20:01:33 +0000

Originally published by Hypebeast

Photo by Dulkimso Hakim Santoso on Unsplash

SummaryRenowned artist Marina Abramović just opened Transforming Energy at Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, marking the museum’s first major solo dedicated to a living womanRunning concurrent to the Venice Biennale, the exhibition puts the artist’s most pioneering works in direct dialogue with Ren

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It’s the Most Controversial Venice Biennale in Years. Can the Art Stand Up to the Noise?

Fri, 08 May 2026 18:01:13 +0000

Originally published by Vanity Fair

I was standing with Alma Allen in the middle of the US Pavilion atthe Venice Biennale. It was Tuesday, the first day of the VIP preview, and while it wasn’t packed, as it’s a tough invite to get—everyone present had been vetted by the exhibition’s governing body. Allen was wearing some fashionable sandals that he got in town during the weeks he was installing his show. The artist Oscar Murillo came in as Getty presidential scholar Sandra Jackson-Dumont walked out. Allen didn’t speak with them.