Grotesque humor meets the politics of shame and belonging in two films created for the Venice Biennale. The screening features works by Jakub Jansa and Aline Bouvy, followed by an in-person conversation with both artists, moderated by curator Peter Sit.
TICKETSThe Silence of the Mole / dir. Jakub Jansa / 2026 / 13 min.
Mr. M. has spent his life performing as Krtek, the beloved Czechoslovak Little Mole. Once a figure of childhood imagination, the character has become a mascot of cultural diplomacy. Exhausted by his role, the performer retreats underground, where even his refuge offers little peace. Jansa asks what happens when imagination becomes a public obligation—and whether silence can offer a way to resist.
The film forms part of the Czech and Slovak Pavilion’s presentation at the 61st Venice Biennale, created by Jansa and Slovak artist duo Selmeci Kocka Jusko, comprising Alex Selmeci and Tomáš Kocka Jusko.
La Merde / dir. Aline Bouvy / 2026 / 34 min.
A humanlike excrement figure encounters rejection, desire, and public judgment in everyday situations. Moving between puppetry, animation, and an embodied character, Bouvy’s feminist film essay explores how shame is learned and how society controls bodies it considers unacceptable. Grotesque humor and tenderness expose the violence behind seemingly ordinary rules of behavior.
Created for the Luxembourg Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, the film receives a special preview screening at e-flux.
The evening is curated by Peter Sit.
Jakub Jansa is a Czech artist working across film, installation, and performance. His ongoing series Club of Opportunities uses fiction, humor, and absurdity to examine class and power. A recipient of the 2021 Jindřich Chalupecký Award, he has exhibited at institutions including the National Gallery Prague, Pioneer Works, and Anthology Film Archives.
Aline Bouvy is a Luxembourgish artist based in Brussels and Luxembourg. Her multidisciplinary practice challenges social expectations surrounding bodies, gender, and desire, often through unconventional materials and irreverent humor. Her solo exhibitions include Cruising Bye at MACS Grand-Hornu and Hot Flashes at Casino Luxembourg.
Peter Sit is an artist, curator, and art director of e-flux journal. A co-founder of the former APART collective, he works across exhibitions, publishing, and public programs. He is the curator of the Czech and Slovak Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale.
Co-organized by e-flux and Czech Center New York, with support from Kultur | lx.
