Frieze, Issue 259 (May 2026)

Insightful, intelligent and exquisitely designed, Frieze is the leading magazine in contemporary art and culture. Frieze profiles emerging artists and highlights new currents in art practice as well as offering a fresh perspective on more established artists. Including exhibition reviews, interviews, city reports and worldwide listings, the magazine is essential reading for anyone interested in visual culture.

In this issue:

This is the May 2026 issue, and their third devoted exclusively to the Venice Biennale—the world’s longest-running international exhibition. The cover takes inspiration from Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo’s fresco ‘Il Mondo Negro’, with both the original and recreation offering a reminder of Venice’s ‘great passion for the world beyond its canals’.

During a period of immense upheaval, this year’s fair is perhaps the most highly debated to date. Critic Matthew Holman recognises this in his featured essay, noting that ‘The Biennale was created to bring the world to Venice. Rather, it brought the world’s conflicts with it.’ The columnists inside this issue, many of whom are part of the next generation of artists exhibiting at Venice, wrestle with several of these themes—from identity to displacement and conflict. Elsewhere, Lubaina Himid considers what it means to represent your country ahead of her exhibition at the British Pavilion. Plus, you’ll find the usual ‘Reviews’ section, offering insight and critique into recent exhibitions from across the globe.