Artnet News critic Ben Davis analyzed 130 recurring global art events—including biennials and triennials—that opened between the 2022 and 2026 Venice Biennales, tallying over 15,000 participating artists. He identified the most frequently featured artists, with Nolan Oswald Dennis topping the list at 14 biennial appearances. Dennis, a South Africa-based artist born in Lusaka, is known for works like "Black Liberation Zodiac" (2017-ongoing) and was included in the 2026 Venice Biennale curated by the late Koyo Kouoh.
This analysis matters because it provides a data-driven snapshot of which contemporary artists are gaining the most international curatorial attention, revealing trends and shifts in the global art conversation beyond the usual U.S.-centric view. By quantifying repetition across biennials, Davis offers a concrete measure of an artist's rising influence and the evolving priorities of major exhibitions, helping the art world understand who is shaping the current moment.