Taking Venice

In the tense atmosphere of the Cold War, the U.S. government resolves to combat Communism through cultural dominance. The 1964 Venice Biennale, a prestigious art showcase, becomes an ideological battleground. Washington insider Alice Denney, who is close to the Kennedy family, suggests Alan Solomon for the job—a curator on the rise, known for his avant-garde art selections—to helm the U.S. exhibition. In a bold move, he joins forces with Leo Castelli, an influential New York art dealer, to ensure artist Robert Rauschenberg clinches the Grand Prize. Rauschenberg's work, a then-underappreciated fusion of street scavenged items and pop culture imagery, has the potential to captivate the audience. With the strategic finesse of a cinematic espionage thriller, the American contingent orchestrates a victory that sparks outrage among the international media and leads Rauschenberg himself to reflect on the nationalistic politics that propelled his participation.