Disturbing Art—Why Even an Aesthete Can Be Shaken by It

The art world loves extremes. Every new Venice Biennale—including the 2026 edition—promises to push boundaries, provoke, and deliberately play with the idea of unsettlement. Blood, deformed bodies, political traumas, isolation, the aesthetics of violence, and digital nightmares are no longer considered fringe phenomena, but are often seen as expressions of particular relevance.