British Council − UK at the Venice Biennale

The 1920s were the most troubled period in the Pavilion's history. Reliant on uncertain resources and temporary expedients, its continued existence was precarious. Britain's non-participation in the Biennale of 1920, the first since the outbreak of war, was the cause of much ill-feeling and mutual reporaches, arising in part from the fact that the works show in the pavilion at the 1914 Biennale had still not returned home: when war had broken out during the exhibition, the British works had remained in Venice, moving later to Rome for their safety. (They finally arrived home in June 1920, some damage having been incurred.)

Now Marcus Huish, who had played an important organising role in the pre-war Biennales, asked whether the pavilion could revert on this occasion to its former use as a restaurant to avoid remaining empty. In the event it was taken over by the American section, becoming for the duration of the exhibition the Padiglione degli Stati Uni.

(Taken with kind permission from Britain at the Venice Biennale 1895-1995 Edited by Sophie Bowness and Clive Phillpot).

Britain did not participate; the Pavilion was taken over by the American section.