Bruno Birmanis and the artist duo Mareunrol’s (Mārite Mastiņa-Pēterkopa and Rolands Pēterkops) will represent Latvia at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026, with their pavilion located in the Arsenale. Their project draws on memories of Latvia in the 1990s, particularly the avant-garde fashion event The Untamed Fashion Assembly (UFA), conceived by Birmanis, which took place two months after Latvia regained independence from the Soviet Union. The installation is not a nostalgic archive but a space of dialogue and reflection, using the visual codes of a fashion show backstage to explore themes of memory, freedom, and utopian intentions.
The presentation matters because it directly engages with the Biennale’s curatorial theme, "In Minor Keys," by framing history as something formed in "hushed tonalities" before becoming a resounding anthem. It also highlights how contemporary Latvian artists are reckoning with the legacy of Soviet occupation and the fragile, courageous moment of independence, offering a deeply personal and political narrative that resonates with broader discussions about national identity, trauma, and artistic freedom in the post-Soviet context.