Art and power: German artists design the Venice Biennale 2026

Art and power: German artists design the Venice Biennale 2026

The anticipation for the 61st Venice Art Biennale is growing, especially in Germany, where Henrike Naumann and Sung Tieu will design the German Pavilion. The Biennale will take place from May 10th to September 23rd, 2026 and is curated by Kathleen Reinhardt on behalf of the Institute for Foreign Relations (ifa) reports the film university. Together, the two artists will illuminate the topics of social order systems and power structures in their work.

Henrike Naumann, born in Zwickau in 1984, uses her art to deal with right-wing ideologies in East Germany. Her installations combine political narratives with everyday aesthetics and culture of remembrance. She would like to reflect on the mechanisms of radicalization and personal experiences. Her previous awards include the Karl Schmidt-Rottluff Scholarship and the Max Pechstein Prize. She is currently researching art and war and will accept a professorship for sculpture at the Hamburg University of Fine Arts from 2026 supplements the ifa.

The artists in focus

The second link in this creative collaboration is Sung Tieu, born in 1987 in Hải Dương, Vietnam. She also lives in Berlin and deals with the aftermath of the Cold War and colonial entanglements. Her work spans numerous media, including sculpture, sound and video. Tieu has already taken part in major biennials, including the Gwangju and Shanghai Biennale, and has received multiple awards for her artistic research.

Kathleen Reinhardt emphasizes the perspective of the two artists as promising. She says that they not only address historical responsibility, but also examine individual and collective agency. Documenting and evaluating these aspects will certainly be a central part of her site-specific work for Venice emphasizes the film university.

The German Pavilion and the Biennale

The Biennale di Venezia, which has taken place every two years since 1895, is considered the oldest international art exhibition. The German Pavilion, built in 1909, has an eventful history that also includes redesigns during the Nazi era informs Wikipedia. Germany has won some of the highest awards over the past four decades, including seven Golden Lions. Important artists such as Gerhard Richter and Joseph Beuys have represented the pavilion in the past.

The Biennale is not only a showcase of contemporary art, but also a cultural experience that includes a music festival, film festival, theater and dance events every year. In her exhibitions she illuminates both historical and current social issues with impressive diversity Wikipedia explains further.

As preparations for the 61st Biennale intensify, the spotlight will remain on artists Henrike Naumann and Sung Tieu, with their works that address concepts of power and responsibility and will significantly shape Germany's contribution to the international art scene.