ArtReview's April & May 2026 issue explores boundaries and limitations in art, with a focus on the 61st Venice Biennale opening amid global conflicts. The cover features Japanese-American performance artist Ei Arakawa-Nash with his husband and twin babies, whose collaborative installation at the Japanese Pavilion incorporates the unpredictability of childcare. The issue includes coverage of controversial national pavilions (Russian, Israeli, American), profiles of artists representing Mongolia and Singapore, and features on Beverly Buchanan, Arthur Jafa, Richard Prince, and Zehra Doğan's report from Rojava. It also reviews the 82nd Whitney Biennial, the 25th Biennale of Sydney, and the 15th Shanghai Biennale.
The issue matters because it frames the Venice Biennale as a barometer of political tensions and soft power, reflecting how high-profile exhibitions navigate international conflicts. By examining artists who work with themes of resistance, persistence, and overlooked histories—such as Buchanan's deliberately eroding works and Doğan's reporting from war zones—the magazine underscores art's capacity to address societal and political realities beyond aesthetic expression.