TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM), organizer of the Taiwan Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, announced Tuesday the selection of curator Raphael Fonseca and artist Li Yi-fan (李亦凡) for the 2026 expo.
Fonseca, director of modern and contemporary Latin American art at Denver Art Museum, will lead the exhibition titled “Screen Melancholy,” which focuses on the anxieties of the digital age. The exhibition is scheduled to run from May 9 to Nov. 22, 2026, at the historic Palazzo delle Prigioni in Venice, Italy.
Li, an artist known for utilizing game engines and real-time imaging, will use the presentation to explore the anxieties and frustrations that arise from human interaction with digital media. TFAM noted that the Chinese title, which translates to "Screen Melancholy," references the “flattening of perception” in a world increasingly shaped by software.
“I will create a maze-like virtual-real environment,” said Li, who is currently an artist-in-residence at the Rijksakademie in the Netherlands. His site-specific installation will feature a single-channel video in the central hall, complemented by several exaggerated human sculptures placed throughout the palace's corridors.
The work is intended to prompt reflection on material fragmentation and the limits of human knowledge in the digital age.
Fonseca, who has been named to Art Review's list of the "Global 100 Most Influential Contemporary Art Figures" for two consecutive years, brings a "Global South" perspective to the collaboration. Fonseca served as chief curator for this year’s 14th Mercosul Biennial, where he first collaborated with Li.
Fonseca specializes in exhibition concepts that use humor and popular culture to initiate dialogues on contemporary issues. This approach aligns with Li’s artistic style, which often incorporates dark humor and theatrical narrative techniques.
TFAM Director Lo Li-chen (駱麗真) expressed confidence that the curator's international experience would open up new avenues for dialogue. “We expect this Taiwan Pavilion to pioneer contemporary dialogue paths relevant to the new generation, initiating a joint reflection on image, technology, and human existence from a Southern perspective.”
