Jenni Parido, a 37‑year‑old former pet‑food retailer, has been installed as commissioner of the U.S. Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale. The State Department rewrote its selection process, bypassing the usual museum‑curator panel and handing the role to Jenni Parido, who founded the nonprofit American Arts Conservancy last year. Her first task: present sculptor Alma Allen as America’s representative to the global stage.

Industry veterans warn the move could erode the pavilion’s credibility. Former Yale dean Robert Storr lamented that America might “squander a major opportunity” by fielding an under‑the‑radar artist. The State Department typically contributes $375,000 to the pavilion, while the cancelled Robert Lazzarini proposal had required an estimated $5 million, underscoring the financial strain of the new approach.

White House spokesman Davis Ingle defended the selection, saying Allen “personifies the greatness of the American dream.” Critics note that Parido relies on curator Jeffrey Uslip, whose own museum tenure ended amid controversy, raising questions about artistic rigor. With the Biennale opening next month, the U.S. will showcase a modest, self‑taught sculptor rather than the marquee names that once defined America’s cultural cachet.