US Pavilion Proposal for Venice Biennale Submitted by Right-Wing Blogger Curtis Yarvin, Focusing on Dissenting Artwork from the Far Right
In the world of art, preparations for the upcoming 2026 Venice Biennale are well underway, but the United States' participation remains shrouded in uncertainty. The application process for the US Pavilion closed on July 30, 2025, with the winner expected to be announced on September 1.
One of the most intriguing proposals for the US Pavilion came from Curtis Yarvin, a far-right blogger and coder. Yarvin's plan, dubbed the "dissident-right art hos" pavilion, aims to "Trumpify" the Venice Biennale and radically reshape American art at the event. The profile of Yarvin's ideas was written by Ava Kofman.
Yarvin's proposal is described as aggressive and intends to exert control over the U.S. pavilion through executive power. However, it's unclear which "art hos" Yarvin had in mind, or if the organisers were receptive to his profile.
Separately, established American artist Andres Serrano proposed a controversial exhibit for the US Pavilion featuring a Donald Trump mausoleum and multimedia portrait. Serrano is known for provocative art like Piss Christ, and his project is based on an existing body of work, potentially favouring him given the short timeline for assembling the show.
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is responsible for convening the jury panel, but the jurors have not been publicly announced yet, indicating ongoing internal processes. It's worth noting that the application notes that programs must maintain a non-political character and should be representative of the diplomacy of American political, social, and cultural life.
The short timeline for the Biennale has raised concerns among some artists and curators. In May 2023, Kathleen Ash-Milby, a cocurator of Jeffrey Gibson's US Pavilion at the 2024 Biennale, expressed her worries about the tight schedule.
Despite the ongoing application process and the short timeline, the United States has not yet revealed its plans for its pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale. The lack of clarity has left many art enthusiasts eagerly waiting to see what the US will bring to the prestigious event.
In the meantime, the Dimes Square, a small area in New York's Chinatown neighbourhood and a certain attitude, has been informally linked to the US Pavilion. Dean Kissick, an art critic, wrote that Dimes Square has come to be associated with boredom with performative outrage and disdain for overbearingly earnest didacticism.
As the countdown to the 2026 Venice Biennale continues, the world watches with bated breath to see how the US will represent itself in the international art scene. The unique proposals from Yarvin and Serrano, along with the tight timeline and uncertainty surrounding the US Pavilion, promise an exciting and unpredictable event.
- The application process for the US Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale closed on July 30, 2025, with the winner expected to be announced on September 1, but the United States' participation remains uncertain.
- One of the most intriguing proposals for the US Pavilion came from Curtis Yarvin, a far-right blogger and coder, who aims to "Trumpify" the Venice Biennale and radically reshape American art at the event.
- Established American artist Andres Serrano proposed a controversial exhibit for the US Pavilion featuring a Donald Trump mausoleum and multimedia portrait, potentially favouring him given the short timeline for assembling the show.
- The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is responsible for convening the jury panel for the US Pavilion, but the jurors have not been publicly announced yet.
- As the countdown to the 2026 Venice Biennale continues, the world watches with bated breath to see how the US will represent itself in the international art scene, with unique proposals by Yarvin and Serrano promising an exciting and unpredictable event.
