State Department Confirms Alma Allen as US Pavilion Artist for 2026 Venice Biennale

"The US Department of State on Monday morning confirmed that Mexico-based artist Alma Allen will represent the United States at the 2026 Venice Biennale, which will open to the public next May. The news was first reported by ARTnews and the Baer Faxt newsletter earlier this month. In a brief posting, the State Department confirmed that Jeffrey Uslip would serve as curator and that the commissioning institution is the American Arts Conservancy,"

"That this organization is the commissioning institution represents a break in tradition for the US Pavilion, which has historically been awarded to an artist and curator working with an accredited museum. Allen himself is an unusual pick, as the pavilion is often taken over by artists with much longer CVs and who have strong institutional support. He has had just two museum solo shows in his three-decade career."

"In an interview with the New York Times, Allen said that he had not applied to represent the US, but that Uslip called him in October to ask if he would accept the commission, having already been approved by the State Department. "They have been great so far and have given me total freedom in what I want to make," he told the paper of the State Department."

The State Department confirmed that Mexico-based artist Alma Allen will represent the United States at the 2026 Venice Biennale, with Jeffrey Uslip serving as curator and the American Arts Conservancy as the commissioning institution. Jenni Parido will serve as the pavilion's official commissioner and Uslip sits on the AAC advisory council. The AAC was formed as a nonprofit in July and states a mission to advance the legacy of American artists through preservation, education, and global cultural engagement. The AAC commission marks a break from the pavilion's museum-based tradition. Allen has had only two museum solo shows in a three-decade career. A prior proposal by Robert Lazzarini and John Ravenal initially won but fell through after negotiations. Uslip contacted Allen in October after State Department approval and granted him creative freedom.

Read at ARTnews.com