Countercurrents, conflict and camaraderie: inside the 2026 Venice Art Biennale
Emma Mattei argues that the event can only remain meaningful if it continues to challenge − and question − itself
The title of this year’s Venice Art Biennale, In Minor Keys, carries with it both denial and hope. Beneath its subdued cadence lies the feeling of collapse and the growing sense that the biennale itself, with its inherited national pavilions and exhausted architectures of cultural prestige, can remain meaningful only if it is challenged and turned against itself.
During the four pre-opening days, May 5 to 8, there were 27,935 attendees, representing a 4% increase compared to the pre-opening days of 2024. For those who attend, the prerequisites for survival are stamina, hydration, social dexterity and adrenalin. These days are not about exclusivity, they are about presence, about being drawn in by the reveal that is to unfold.
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