VENICE — French artist Anne de Carbuccia has unveiled her latest work, dubbed “Sergeant S.N.A.F.U.,” in Venice at the Biennale Arte 2026.
Her sculptural series is a reproduction of stylized soldiers whose weapons are microphones to convey the message that “language has become artillery and broadcast its ammunition at scale,” said Carbuccia, who believes “We now live in a post-truth society. Information is weaponized everywhere. To be powerful you need the strongest information army. Using a microphone can kill but can also kill you. It’s an instrument of warfare.”
For the artist, the historic military acronym SNAFU (“Situation Normal, All F—-d Up”) reflects the current scenario and also points to the spread of fake news, the ever-increasing fight for attention and targeted communication.
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“This war, this crisis is global. We are not going to overcome misinformation, distortion and propaganda. The best we can do is manage it. We have the tools: we have our reason and we have our emotions. And to fight back we have our humanity,” said de Carbuccia.
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The “Sergeant S.N.A.F.U.” series consists of four models produced using large-format 3D printing available in green, blue, red, silver and gold, reminiscent of supersized toys but also as a symbol of militarization. They stand out boldly in Venice, near the Accademia Bridge, clearly visible sailing the Grand Canal.
The chrome finish is the result of a multiple-layered handcrafted process. Each sculpture bears the inscription “S.N.A.F.U.,” with some models also incorporating references to military instruments.
De Carbuccia, who hails from the French island of Corsica, is also a filmmaker and since 2013 she has traveled to the world’s most remote locations and created striking artistic photos reflecting on the damage mankind has done to nature and animals.
She addresses climate change, which causes environmental and cultural loss and, during her trips, she met a new generation of women and men who are working to save our planet, whom she calls earth protectors. In fact, the first 93-minute documentary feature film she wrote and directed in 2024 was called “Earth Protectors.” Her new series “Choose Earth” is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
De Carbuccia established the One Planet One Future Foundation in the U.S. and in Italy and has been a featured speaker at the United Nations World Oceans Day conference, participating in mentorship programs for several institutions such as the Guggenheim and IOC-UNESCO, which appointed her as role model for the Ocean Decade and member of the Group of Experts on Ocean Literacy.