ArtDependence | Miet Warlop and Caroline Dumalin to represent Flanders at the 2026 Venice Biennale

Thursday, February 13, 2025

The Venice Biennale is one of the most important platforms for visual arts in the world. It is an opportunity for Flanders to promote its significance within the international field of contemporary visual arts.

On December 2, 2024, the Department of Culture, Youth, and Media received 21 proposals for the Belgian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale. From these, the jury selected three proposals on December 13, 2024. February 10, 2025, the jury then selected artist Miet Warlop and curator Caroline Dumalin to represent Flanders. This choice was confirmed by the Minister of Culture.

The selected proposal by Miet Warlop and Caroline Dumalin convinced the jury with its immediate and performative nature, which works very well in the context of a pavilion at the Venice Biennale, where many visitors pass through at a relatively fast pace.

Flanders has a tradition of performance art, which has organically found its place within contemporary visual arts. Interdisciplinarity is also characteristic of the Flemish art scene. With the choice of Miet Warlop and her new presentation “It Never SSST,” these two strengths of its art scene are highlighted. These elements have never before been part of a presentation in the pavilion, making this project an innovative addition to the program.

The proposal weaves together multiple narratives—performance pressure in our busy society, language, rituals, bending the rules—into an exciting dramaturgy. The chaotic state of today’s world is vividly expressed through the high rock ‘n roll spirit of this performance.

Not only its directness but also its interactive nature—where visitors are drawn into the rhythm of the performance upon entering the space—is an engaging element that can generate strong resonance within the Biennale as a whole. The jury also believes that Miet Warlop has a strong visual language, which is evident in the development of this project proposal.

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Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.

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