Nel Padiglione Germania alla Biennale di Venezia un gruppo di donne riflette sulle rovine del passato per capire il mondo

The German Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale will present the work of two women artists, Henrike Naumann and Sung Tieu, following the death of Naumann at age 41 in February 2026. Curated by Kathleen Reinhardt, director of the Georg Kolbe Museum in Berlin, the pavilion's project, titled "Ruin," explores the dual meanings of the word in English and German—architectural decay versus economic, social, or moral collapse. The exhibition draws on research into East Germany (DDR) and the post-reunification period, using the pavilion's fascist architecture as a lens to examine historical ruptures and their impact on the present. For the first time in its history, the German Pavilion is represented solely by women, mirroring the Italian Pavilion.

Phillip Lai at Spike Island

The contemporary art space Spike Island in Bristol is hosting a solo exhibition by artist Phillip Lai titled "Rain / Ruin." Running from January 30 to May 10, 2026, the exhibition features a series of sculptural installations and works that engage with the architectural environment of the gallery. The presentation is documented through a comprehensive suite of installation photography by Rob Harris, capturing the spatial relationship between Lai's objects and the industrial character of the venue.

A Different Germany

Ein anderes Deutschland

The German Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, historically burdened by its Nazi-era origins, presents a new exhibition titled "Ruin." For the first time, the pavilion explicitly adopts an East German perspective, confronting its fraught past from a fresh angle. The show features massive pillars and a prominent "Germania" inscription above the entrance, directly engaging with the building's controversial history.