Artist Marina Xenofontos will represent Cyprus at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026. Her exhibition, centered on an animatronic sparrow titled 'Passer' and incorporating folk songs recorded by her grandmother and great-aunts, explores themes of memory, endurance, and the quiet persistence of culture.
The presentation connects to the Biennale's theme 'In Minor Keys' through its focus on intimacy and vernacular forms. Xenofontos views the national pavilion not as a platform for fixed national identity, but as a space for collective reflection, particularly important for a small state like Cyprus navigating complex histories and external pressures.