New York-based artist Guadalupe Maravilla faced unexpected racial profiling from Italian police after completing his installation at the 2026 Venice Biennale. He recounted how two officers stopped him, demanded documents and escalated to a point where handcuffs were almost used.

Maravilla’s work, known for its healing through intricate sculptures containing gongs and singing bowls, directly addresses the systemic racial profiling of Latino communities in the US. His current project at the Biennale explores similar themes but from an international perspective.

“Encountering that same scrutiny after installing this work underscores how these patterns are global,” he stated. Maravilla’s commitment to community-based healing and support for immigrants and refugees remains unwavering despite such incidents.