Lubaina Himid, a distinguished British artist whose career skyrocketed after her Turner Prize win in 2017, is set to represent the UK at the 2026 Venice Biennale.
Himid, born in Zanzibar and now residing in Preston, has been a pivotal figure in the British Black Arts Movement since the 1980s. Her work is currently featured in an exhibition at the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, where she is showcasing recent paintings that explore themes of reconstruction and resilience in a world shaped by colonialism and environmental crises, using imagined spaces populated by groups of figures as symbolic representations.
She will be only the second Black woman to represent the UK at the Venice Biennale’s British Pavilion, following Sonia Boyce, who won the prestigious Golden Lion for her work in 2022.
Specific details about Himid’s upcoming presentation, such as the curator or overall concept for the British Pavilion, were not disclosed in today’s announcement.
The British Pavilion is among the early reveals for the 2026 Venice Biennale, an event still more than a year away. Koyo Kouoh will curate the Biennale’s central exhibition, which will operate independently of the national pavilions.
Himid’s renowned practice often includes installations that reflect on Black liberation, with particular attention to the experiences of women. Within the UK, she is also recognized for her role in curating Black art exhibitions, with a major retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary Arts London this summer, looking back at landmark exhibitions like 1985’s The Thin Black Line, which highlighted Black women artists.
All eyes will be on Himid in 2026 as she takes on this monumental opportunity. It’s another milestone in her already remarkable career and a chance for her to continue pushing boundaries in contemporary art.
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