Trending Now - Outsider Artist Showcases Unique Vision at Venice Biennale

WHO:

ABC News - U.S. artist Alma Allen is the featured artist at the U.S. Pavilion for the Venice Biennale.

AP News - Jeffrey Uslip is the pavilion’s commissioner.

AP News - Robert Lazzarini was a prior proposal for the show, curated by art historian John Ravenal.

WHAT:

ABC News - Alma Allen created a bronze evil eye to hang on the exterior of the U.S. Pavilion.

AP News - The exhibition is titled “Call Me the Breeze” and includes works made over the last 20 years, interspersed with new work.

AP News - Allen's exhibition is expected to be a defining moment in his 30-year career.

AP News - Allen's recent work includes bronze wall sculptures treated with chemicals in a form of painting.

WHERE:

ABC News - The exhibition is held at the U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in Venice, Italy.

AP News - The U.S. Pavilion is described as a neoclassic brick building built around a courtyard and rotunda.

WHEN:

AP News - The Venice Biennale is set to open on Saturday.

AP News - Allen made his first trip to Venice in November after receiving the Biennale commission.

AP News - The application deadline for the previous proposal expired in July.

WHY:

ABC News - Institutions shied away from the Biennale commission due to concerns about administration politics after changes to the open call language.

AP News - Allen's selection is attributed to his institutional independence and readiness to accept challenges.

HOW:

ABC News - Allen's sculptures are biomorphic and he is reluctant to name them to allow viewers to interpret them.

AP News - The selection process for the Biennale has been described as “opaque” and unusual, lacking apparent committee vetting or application process.

(UPDATED May 8, 2026 04:10 UTC)

U.S. artist Alma Allen is set to showcase his work at the U.S. Pavilion for the Venice Biennale, with the exhibition titled “Call Me the Breeze” featuring pieces created over the last 20 years alongside new works. Allen has crafted a bronze evil eye to adorn the pavilion, which is a neoclassic brick building in Venice, Italy, and his selection for this prestigious event is seen as a significant milestone in his 30-year career. The Venice Biennale is scheduled to open on Saturday, and Allen's unique approach to his biomorphic sculptures encourages viewers to interpret them freely, reflecting his institutional independence amid a complex selection process.