Andrew Durbin reviews national pavilions at the 2026 Venice Biennale, critiquing the US presentation as vacuous while praising incisive and moving installations from Britain and Germany. The review highlights Seba Calfuqueo's work in the context of colonized bodies, though the article's main focus is on the comparative quality of the pavilions.
This review matters because it offers a critical perspective on how major national pavilions at the Venice Biennale—one of the art world's most influential events—address (or fail to address) pressing cultural and political themes. The contrast between the US pavilion's perceived emptiness and the substantive contributions from Britain and Germany underscores ongoing debates about national representation, curatorial responsibility, and the role of art in confronting colonial histories.