Guadalupe Rosales, a Los Angeles–based artist known for her Instagram archive @veteranas_and_rucas documenting 1990s Chicana life, has been selected to participate in the main exhibition of the 2026 Venice Biennale, curated by the late Koyo Kouoh. In an interview with ARTnews, Rosales discusses how her invitation came about after Kouoh's passing, her evolving practice that includes photography, murals, and installations, and the emotional depth of her archival work—balancing joy and grief, as exemplified by her cousin's death certificate. She will also publish a memoir titled *East of the River* in September.
This participation marks Rosales's highest-profile international showing, placing her community-centered, archive-driven practice on one of the art world's biggest stages. Her inclusion underscores the Biennale's commitment to artists who work with collective memory and underrepresented narratives, continuing Kouoh's vision for the exhibition. It also highlights the growing recognition of digital archives as legitimate fine-art practice and the importance of Latinx voices in contemporary art.