Scotland returns to the 61st Venice Art Biennale with a collateral event titled "Scotland + Venice: Bugarin + Castle," curated by the Mount Stuart Trust. The exhibition, held at Olivolo in the Castello district through November 22, 2026, features the artistic duo Davide Bugarin and Angel Cohn Castle. Their work combines sculpture, moving images, performance, and installation to reinterpret historical rituals of public humiliation—such as rough music, charivari, and scampanate—through a contemporary queer and trans lens. Key works include "At Certayne Tymes," a hybrid sculpture evoking body, machine, and voice; "Submit to Sound," a moving-image piece created with Manila's band Kalye Teresa; and "Nocturnal Amusements," an interactive installation that asks viewers "Are you discreet?"
This presentation matters because it marks Scotland's ambitious return to the Venice Biennale, one of the most prestigious global art events, with a project that centers queer and trans perspectives within a historical and cross-cultural framework. By linking Scottish and Filipino traditions and weaving together 14th-century courtroom transcripts, 18th-century satirical engravings, karaoke, and medieval armor, Bugarin + Castle challenge dominant narratives around shame, power, and social control. The exhibition offers a nuanced exploration of identity and resistance, positioning Scotland as a platform for experimental, identity-driven art on the international stage.