Nordic Artists to Weave Mythology With Global Stories at 2026 Venice Biennale
Left to right: Benjamin Orlow, Tori Wrånes, and Klara Kristalova. Photo: Pirje Mykkänen/Finnish National Gallery.
Swedish sculptor Klara Kristalova, Finland-born Benjamin Orlow, and Norwegian artist and vocalist Tori Wrånes will represent the Nordic countries at next year’s Venice Biennale.
Curated by Anna Mustonen, chief curator at Helsinki’s Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, the exhibition will weave Nordic mythologies with global contexts of identity, cultural survival, and gender equality to bring ‘a compelling and transformative perspective to the Pavilion’.
The artists share a common exploration of ‘transformation, resilience, and vulnerability’, said Kiira Miesmaa, pavilion commissioner from the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, emphasising their ‘distinctive approaches to sculpture, installation, and performance’.
Miesmaa said that along with geographical proximity, the Nordic countries share social and cultural values that ’[lay] a strong foundation for close collaboration in the arts’, including equality and community support.
Prague-born sculptor Klara Kristalova is known for ceramics that explore ‘isolation, transformation, and psychological depth’ through fairytale imagery. Kristalova is represented by Perrotin and Lehmann Maupin.
London-based Benjamin Orlow’s work across sculpture, video, and installation explores how cultural narratives impact public and private spaces. His work has been featured at Kunsthalle Seinäjoki, Finland (2025), Des Bains, London (2024), and Brussel’s Horst Exhibition (2022).
Tori Wrånes works across music, performance, and sculpture, creating ‘otherworldly environments’ that ‘challenge perception and redefine traditional performance spaces’. She has exhibited at Helsinki Art Museum (2024) and Gothenberg Museum of Art (2019).
Last year, the exhibition featured work by artists Lap-See Lam (Sweden), Kholod Hawash (Finland), and composer Tze Yeung Ho (Norway).
The 61st Venice Biennale will run from 9 May to 22 November 2026. —[O]
Main image: Left to right: Benjamin Orlow, Tori Wrånes, and Klara Kristalova. Photo: Pirje Mykkänen/Finnish National Gallery.
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