Dear All,

Of the Venice Pavilions which is the fairest of them all? Our highlights include Jeffrey Gibson for the U.S. who brings colour and folklore into the picture with 11 paintings, nine sculptures, eight flags, two murals and a video work called the space in which to place me. Gibson, of Cherokee descent, merges heritage with found decorative items to exuberant, defiant effect. Meanwhile, representing France Julien Creuzet, a French Caribbean artist, uses found materials to express the tangles of migration presented as future relics washed in by an ocean tide. He was feted with a dinner by CHANEL which supported the installation, hosted by Yana Peel and with guests including the winners of the CHANEL Next Prize. And big applause to Aindrea Emelife curator of the Nigerian Pavilion entitled Nigeria Imaginary featuring nine artists including Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Ndidi Dike, Onyeka Igwe and Yinka Shonibare to present a multi perspectival work. Lithuania offered up one of the most arresting installations within a 17th-century church. Before a marble altar, the duo Pakwui Hardware revealed Inflammation (2023), an abstract work created in blown glass withing a metal armature alongside paintings by Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė (1933–2007) depicting bodies ravaged by social and economic damage.

Israeli artist Ruth Pair closed the nation’s Venice Biennale pavilion which was a hymn to motherhood with a powerful sign reading “The artist and curators of the Israeli pavilion will open the exhibition when a cease-fire and hostage release agreement is reached.” There were pro Palestine protests across the city on Wednesday led by Art not Genocide Alliance (ANGA).

Time has released its 100 influential people in 2024 issue featuring creative visionary Jonathan Anderson on one of the covers and salutes to Jenny Holzer, Dua Lipa, Dev Patel and Jeffrey Wright in the list.

With all best wishes from me and the KTW Family,

Katy