The American Arts Conservancy Announces Alma Allen to Represent the United States at the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The American Arts Conservancy Announces Alma Allen to Represent the United States at the
61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale
TAMPA, November 26, 2025 — The American Arts Conservancy (AAC), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State, is honored to announce that renowned American sculptor Alma Allen will represent the United States at the 2026 Venice Biennale. His exhibition, Alma Allen: Call Me the Breeze, will be on view at the U.S. Pavilion from May 9 to November 22, 2026.
For more than three decades, Allen has developed a singular sculptural language shaped by the geological, cultural, and spiritual landscapes of the Americas. Working in bronze, marble, obsidian, parota wood, and other natural materials, he creates abstract biomorphic forms that appear both ancient and futuristic—deeply rooted in the earth yet transcendent in presence.
Allen employs a hybrid process that merges centuries-old carving and hand-shaping techniques with advanced robotic technologies, a practice that reflects his belief in the continuum between the natural world, human ingenuity, and creative imagination.
"It is an extraordinary honor for American Arts Conservancy to be selected to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale, a moment that reflects the very best of our nation's creativity and cultural leadership on the world stage,” said Frank Bardonaro, Board President, American Arts Conservancy. “I’m immensely proud of our community-oriented, bi-partisan team for their dedication in ensuring America’s participation, which coincides with the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation, to reflect an artistic interpretation of our values to a modern, global audience.”
Allen’s new body of work for the U.S. Pavilion will explore the idea of elevation: as an aesthetic gesture, an emotional state, and a shared social aspiration.
“The American Arts Conservancy is singular in our mission to elevate the role of American visual art at home and abroad, through diplomacy, education and the elevation of U.S. artists,” said John A. Mocker, board member and secretary, American Arts Conservancy. “With Alma Allen at the center of our pavilion, we are poised to present an enduring vision of American art with the world, one underscoring the potential of the American Dream.”
The exhibition will feature several significant new sculptures, including a site-responsive work for the Pavilion’s outdoor forecourt.
For more information, visit www.americanartsconservancy.org or www.almaallenvenice2026.org.
About Alma Allen
Alma Allen (b. 1970, Salt Lake City, Utah) is a self-taught sculptor whose work has been presented in museums and collections around the world. His career—spanning early hand-carved miniatures sold in SoHo to his acclaimed participation in the 2014 Whitney Biennial—reflects an enduring commitment to material integrity and artistic independence.
About the American Arts Conservancy
The American Arts Conservancy (AAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting, and educating through American art at home and abroad. AAC supports artistic excellence, cultural diplomacy, and educational programming in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies program and America 250 initiatives.
Learn more at: www.americanartsconservancy.org
Exhibition Website
A dedicated website for the United States Pavilion exhibition, Alma Allen: Call Me the Breeze, will launch at: https://www.almaallenvenice2026.org/
Press Contact
For all media inquiries regarding the artist and the exhibition:
The American Arts Conservancy
Jenni Parido
press@americanartsconservancy.org
Office of Public Affairs and Strategic Communications
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
ECA-Press@state.gov
