In 2026, the Venice Biennale will once again become the nerve center of the international contemporary art scene. Since its creation in 1895, the Biennale has established itself as the most influential and prestigious event on the artistic calendar, a space where institutions, galleries, collectors, critics, and artists from around the world converge. To be present in this setting means to enter into direct dialogue with the history of recent art and with the most urgent issues of the present, in a context where each national pavilion becomes a cultural embassy of its country.

In the upcoming edition, Cuba will be represented by Roberto Diago (Havana, 1971), one of the most prominent artists of his generation, whose career has brought to the forefront historical memory, Afro-descendant identity, and the social tensions of the contemporary world. The project he will present in Venice, entitled Hombres libres (2025), marks a decisive step in his career and stands as recognition of the strength of an artistic language that has transcended borders and contexts. For any creator, participating in the Biennale is a milestone, but doing so as the representative of their country carries an even greater responsibility: giving voice to an entire cultural tradition and projecting it onto a global stage.

The significance of this event does not lie solely in the international visibility it provides, but also in the way it situates an artist’s work in dialogue with the most powerful discourses of contemporary art. The Biennale is not just an exhibition: it is a space of legitimation, a laboratory of trends, and a meeting ground for cultural debate on a global scale.