Scotland is preparing a vibrant artistic return to the Venice Biennale in 2026, marked by a cutting-edge project that merges queer history, Scottish heritage, and personal identity. This exciting initiative will be spearheaded by artists Angel John Castle and Davide Bugarin, in collaboration with Mount Stuart House on the Isle of Bute. Their performance and moving image show promises to challenge simplistic narratives around identity through striking “spatial and drag-inflected interventions” in a yet-to-be-announced venue in Venice.

The duo’s project was selected following an open call and is expected to explore the emotional complexity of shame, pride, and celebration. Drawing on their backgrounds in queer cabaret—performing respectively as “Hairy Teddy Bear” and “Pollyfilla”—their work is deeply rooted in lived experience and performance traditions. Castle and Bugarin’s previous exhibitions span prestigious venues like Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket, London’s Tate Modern, and galleries in New York and Manila, reflecting a rich interplay of themes such as queerness, colonisation, and gentrification.

The partnership with Mount Stuart House adds significant historical and cultural depth to the project. This neo-gothic mansion, designed by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson and built between 1879 and 1900, is a Category A listed building on the Isle of Bute. Known for its exquisite architecture, including the Marble Hall and Marble Chapel, the house also houses The Bute Collection—a private art assembly reflecting the Crichton-Stuart family’s interests. Opened to the public since 1995, Mount Stuart has developed an active visual arts programme with previous collaborations involving artists of international acclaim.

Scotland’s renewed participation in the Venice Biennale follows a two-year hiatus in 2024. This pause was initiated due to economic considerations and to conduct a sector-wide review, which ultimately found “overwhelming support” to continue Scotland’s presence at the prestigious event. The Scotland + Venice Partnership, comprising Creative Scotland, British Council Scotland, and National Galleries Scotland, is committed to Scotland’s involvement not only in 2026 but also in editions slated for 2028 and 2030.

The funding of approximately £470,000 for Castle and Bugarin’s Venice show is being shared across these organisations, signalling a strong institutional backing for the arts in Scotland. There is also optimism about securing further funding that would allow the work to tour around Scotland after its initial Venice run and a planned presentation at Mount Stuart House in 2027. Morven Gregor, curator at the Mount Stuart Trust, emphasised the importance of bringing this ambitious and performance-driven project to audiences on Scotland’s west coast and internationally, celebrating Scotland’s cultural resurgence on the global stage.

Both Castle and Bugarin express a powerful commitment to pushing boundaries in their collaborative practice. Speaking about the project, they highlighted the roots of their artistic journey in the lively and disruptive world of queer cabaret in Edinburgh, and their intention to confront “questions of gendered performance and colonial sound control.” They aim to unsettle easy narratives about identity, using their work as a means to explore contested cultural spaces with honesty and boldness.

Creative Scotland’s head of visual arts, Emma Nicolson, praised the project as both bold and emotionally layered—an embodiment of Scotland’s diverse and ambitious artistic voices. She expressed excitement about the ripple effect the project could have across communities and venues throughout Scotland and beyond, signalling a hopeful future for contemporary Scottish art on a global platform.

This upcoming Venice exhibition will not only mark Scotland’s artistic return to one of the world’s most prestigious art events but also underscore the dynamic interplay between identity, history, and place inherent in contemporary art practice. With the backdrop of Mount Stuart House’s grand history and Castle and Bugarin’s innovative artistry, Scotland aims to make a significant cultural statement at the Biennale and beyond.

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Source: Noah Wire Services