By GINNY VAN ALYEA

The upcoming 61st Venice Biennale will feature an impressive group of artists with strong ties to Chicago, underscoring the city’s continued impact on the global contemporary art stage. From Chicago-born pioneers to artists who maintain active lives and studios in the city, this year’s roster reflects the breadth and vitality of Chicago’s creative community.

The 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, In Minor Keys by Koyo Kouoh will be produced by La Biennale di Venezia, with the contribution of the professionals selected and directly involved by the curator Koyo Kouoh, who suddenly passed away on 10 May 2025. The team consists of the advisors Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Helene Pereira and Rasha Salti; the editor-in-chief Siddhartha Mitter; and the assistant Rory Tsapayi. With the full support of Kouoh's family, La Biennale di Venezia decided to carry out her Exhibition, with the purpose of preserving, enhancing and widely disseminating her ideas and the work she pursued with such dedication to the very end. Koyo Kouoh, nominated as the Artistic Director of the Visual Arts Department in November 2024, already developed the curatorial project, defining its theoretical framework, selecting the artists and the artworks, designating the authors of the catalogue, determining the graphic identity of the Exhibition and the architecture of the exhibition spaces, and establishing a dialogue with the artists invited to participate.

La Biennale di Venezia runs from Saturday 9 May to Sunday 22 November 2026 at the Giardini, the Arsenale and in various locations around Venice. The pre-opening will take place on May 6, 7, and 8, while the awards ceremony and inauguration will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026.

Of the 111 participants, six have strong Chicago-ties that have led them to this moment. Together, these artists highlight the enduring influence of Chicago as a site of artistic formation, experimentation, and innovation. As the Venice Biennale opens this spring, Chicago’s presence will be felt across continents — a testament to the city’s vibrant and far-reaching cultural ecosystem.

Laurie Anderson

Born in 1947 in suburban Chicago, in Glen Ellyn, and now based in New York City, Laurie Anderson is an internationally celebrated multimedia artist whose decades-long practice spans performance, music, film, and technology. Her Chicago roots remain an important part of her artistic foundation as she continues to shape contemporary art discourse worldwide.

Nick Cave

Born in 1959 in Chicago, Nick Cave lives and works in Chicago today. Known for his dynamic practice across sculpture, installation, performance, and fashion, Cave has been a central figure in Chicago's cultural landscape for decades, and his continued presence in the city and at the School of the Art Institute reinforces Chicago's role as both a home and incubator for globally recognized artists.

Torkwase Dyson

Born in 1973 in Chicago, Torkwase Dyson now lives in Beacon, NY. She is represented in Chicago by GRAY. Dyson's work explores architecture, infrastructure, environmental histories, and Black spatial liberation. Chicago remains a formative touchstone in her trajectory as her practice gains increasing international visibility.

Ebony G. Patterson

Born in 1981 in Kingston, Jamaica, Ebony G. Patterson splits her between Kingston and Chicago. She is represented in Chicago by monique meloche. Patterson’s richly layered installations and multimedia works examine visibility, beauty, mourning, and social power. Her deep ties to Chicago further connect the city to the Biennale’s global platform.

Carrie Schneider

Born in 1979 in Chicago, Carrie Schneider lives in New York City. Working primarily in photography and video, Schneider’s work often engages portraiture, identity, and personal narrative. She earned her MFA from SAIC in 2007 and is also represented in Chicago by monique meloche.

Additionally, Corbett vs. Dempsey artist Cauleen Smith, who is from California and based in L.A., is also participating in the Biennale.