Andrew Durbin reviews the national pavilions at the 2026 Venice Biennale, contrasting a vacuous US presentation with incisive and moving installations from Britain and Germany. The review highlights how the best moments of the exhibition live in the institutions built by curator Koyo Kouoh, who organized the Biennale's main exhibition.
This review matters because it offers a critical lens on the national pavilions, which are central to the Biennale's identity and often reflect geopolitical and cultural narratives. By praising the British and German contributions while critiquing the US pavilion, Durbin underscores the ongoing debate about meaning, national representation, and curatorial vision in contemporary art's most prestigious international showcase.