Sculptor Alma Allen has reportedly been selected to represent the United States at the 2026 Venice Biennale, replacing Robert Lazzarini, who was dropped after political interference and delays linked to the Trump administration's cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts. The selection process has been fraught, with the State Department directly choosing Lazzarini without NEA involvement, and his proposal—featuring distorted renderings of US national symbols—collapsed amid claims of political meddling. Allen, a Mexico-based artist formerly represented by Kasmin and now in talks with Perrotin, is less established than recent US pavilion artists like Jeffrey Gibson or Simone Leigh, but has a strong practice in stone, wood, and bronze sculpture.
This matters because the US Pavilion at the Venice Biennale is a high-profile platform for American art on the global stage, and the chaotic selection process—marked by government shutdowns, NEA cuts, and political interference—raises concerns about the integrity and independence of cultural diplomacy under the current administration. With the Biennale opening in less than six months and no official announcement yet, the delay and controversy could undermine the US's ability to present a cohesive and timely exhibition, while also highlighting broader tensions between federal arts funding and political priorities.