Venice Biennale: Wind orchestra, sperm banking, critical minerals and haunted tech

The Venice Art biennale, like many contemporary art affairs, has never been big on tech. This year, the omission is more conspicuous than ever. At a moment when anxieties around the evils of technology are intensifying, the art event continues to resist engaging with issues such as the environmental costs of AI, the devaluation of human labour, the uncontrollable spread of misinformation, cyber(in)security, screen addictions and many guises of digital colonialism. Andreas Angelidakis, Escape Room. Pavilion of Greece. 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, In Minor Keys. Photo by Jacopo Salvi. Courtesy: La Biennale di Venezia Jenna Sutela, Aeolian Suite, 2026, Pavilion of FINLAND (AALTO). 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, In Minor Keys. Photo by Luca Zambelli Bais. Courtesy: La Biennale di Venezia And yet this year, I found myself less surprised than ever by the disregard. The curator of the main exhibition, Koyo Kouoh, had decided to have…