Lubaina Himid, a distinguished British artist whose career skyrocketed after her Turner Prize win in 2017, is set to lead the British Pavillion for the 2026 Venice Biennale. Himid, born in Zanzibar, Tanzania and now residing in Preston, England, 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, China, where Himid 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.
Himid will be 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. The British Pavilion is among the early reveals for the 2026 Venice Biennale, alongside Koyo Kouoh curating the Biennale’s central exhibition.
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 recognised 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. This monumental opportunity is yet another milestone in Himid’s already remarkable career and a chance for her to continue pushing boundaries in contemporary art.
