Alma Allen's exhibition "Call Me the Breeze" has opened at the U.S. Pavilion for the 61st Venice Biennale. The Utah-born sculptor presents a pared-down, whimsical show that contrasts with the bombastic work of his predecessors, grouping new and old pieces to explore themes of conflict, mourning, and transcendence inspired by Hieronymus Bosch's *Visions of the Afterlife*. The exhibition was produced hurriedly over a few months, and Allen, who typically leaves his works untitled, felt compelled to explain his art for the first time in 30 years amid controversy surrounding his commission.
The show matters because it unfolds against a backdrop of political tension: the U.S. State Department's requirement that proposals "reflect and promote American values" while avoiding DEI initiatives led artists William Eggleston and Barbara Chase-Riboud to decline the invitation. Further unease stems from the commissioning organization, the American Arts Conservancy (AAC), a secretive group formed only last July with an executive director who previously ran a pet food company. Allen insists the AAC had no role in shaping the exhibition, but the lack of transparency raises questions about the pavilion's direction and the politicization of American cultural representation abroad.