News · 9 May 2026
Nudity, censorship and protest define 2026 Venice Biennale
Illustration: AI-generated for editorial context. Not photographic evidence.
The 2026 Venice Biennale has drawn widespread controversy, with several artworks prompting public debate and official responses. Austrian artist Florentina Holzinger sparked global attention by hanging naked and upside down inside a large bronze bell at the Austrian Pavilion. Separately, the South African government blocked its official pavilion entry over an artwork referencing Palestinian victims, leaving the pavilion empty.
Reported by The Guardian · How we write briefs