The Venice Biennale has announced 31 official collateral events for its 2026 edition, headlined by a major Lee Ufan retrospective at the San Marco Art Centre. Curated by Dia Art Foundation director Jessica Morgan, the exhibition will celebrate the artist's 90th birthday by tracing his seven-decade career from the Mono-ha movement to his recent dimensional paintings. Other notable collateral participants include national presentations from Scotland and Wales, a floating synagogue installation by Ukrainian artist Anna Kamyshan, and a Gaza-focused exhibition organized by the Palestine Museum US.
This announcement highlights the expansive nature of the Venice Biennale, where collateral events often provide critical historical context or urgent political commentary alongside the main international exhibition. The Lee Ufan retrospective is particularly significant as it coincides with a major gift of his works to the Dia Art Foundation, signaling a renewed institutional effort to cement the legacy of the South Korean 'artist-philosopher' within the Western canon.