Taking over the famous Italian city until 24 November, the 2024 edition of the Venice Biennale – one of the most prestigious art and architecture events in the world – is once again hosting the much-anticipated National Pavilions.
As the global artistic community converges in Venice, 87 nations have brought forth their unique pavilions which spotlight artists from diverse backgrounds under the broad theme of ‘Foreigners Everywhere’.
Take a look at some standout pavilions from this year’s show.
United States of America
The first Indigenous artist to represent the US with a solo exhibition at the Venice Biennale, New York-based painter and sculptor Jeffrey Gibson draws on themes of identity, indigenous history and narratives of the LGBTQ+ community in a vibrant, kaleidoscopic pavilion exhibition titled ‘The Space in Which to Place Me’. Included in the pavilion are colourful large-scale murals, sculptures, works on paper, and videos.
Nigeria
Marking the nation’s second participation in the global event, ‘Nigeria Imaginary’ features commissioned site-specific works from artists Yinka Shonibare CBE, Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Ndidi Dike, Onyeka Igwe, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Abraham Onoriode Oghobase, Precious Okoyomon and Fatimah Tuggar. As Curator Aindrea Emelife explains, ‘Nigeria Imaginary will explore the many Nigerias that live in our minds, curated to capture a sense of optimism imbued in inherited and collective cultural history.’
France