The Journey of Materials: Maggie Otieno’s Sojourners series in a solo presentation in Dubai
By Anna Seaman For Maggie Otieno, materials are alive and, crucially, materials have memory. The Nairobi-based sculptor works mostly with found materials that she says have a way of finding their way to her. Although she began her career in painting, she transitioned into sculpture in 1999, and a pivotal moment came in 2017 when […]
Indian Frequencies: Art Explore’s Debut at ArtVerona 2026
By Francesca Bignotti At its twenty-first edition, held from 9 to 11 October 2026, ArtVerona’s ambition to broaden its international horizons was reflected in the participation of galleries from countries still underrepresented in the Italian art fair landscape. Artistic director Laura Lamonea described this decision as part of an effort to «strengthen dialogue with the […]
ArtVerona 2026: Beyond the European Gaze
By Arianna Maria Leva From the results of the fair’s 21st edition to the research of Zana Masombuka, presented by Cellar Contemporary: an exploration of the cultural narratives that cross borders and rewrite the way we observe the world. The 21st edition of ArtVerona concluded on October 11, recording a 17% increase in visitors compared […]
Beyond the Screen: Rethinking the Politics of Artistic Belonging through the Kitawuluzi Pavilion
By Carol Kagezi For many years, the Venice Biennale has functioned as the symbolic centre of the contemporary art world. Every two years, artists, curators, critics and collectors converge in Venice, reaffirming its position as a site where artistic legitimacy is produced, circulated and consumed. The Kitawuluzi Pavilion, conceived and curated by Vodo Arts Society […]
Second Nature | Manyonga: A Conversation with Fadzai Veronica Muchemwa on Zimbabwe’s eighth Pavilion in Venice
By Barnabas Muvhuti and Lifang Zhang Since its debut in 2011, Zimbabwe’s presence at the Venice Biennale has evolved from a quest for visibility into a sophisticated exercise in positioning. While several African nations continue to grapple with the logistical and political fragilities of national representation, Zimbabwe has maintained a remarkable eight-edition streak, driven by the […]
Arjan Martins’ Impossible Maps. In Milan, the Sea Becomes Political Memory
By Arianna Leva In his new exhibition, the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea. Through cartographies, suspended figures, and incandescent colours, the history of migration is transformed into an emotional geography of the present. Standing before the paintings of Arjan Martins (Rio de Janeiro, 1960), one has the impression that history does not unfold in a […]
Mapplethorpe. The Black Body and the Architecture of Desire
By Arianna Maria Leva There are exhibitions that scandalize, and then there are exhibitions that leave behind a more difficult kind of unease. It does not arise from provocation, which by now has become almost predictable, but from something in the image that remains unresolved, the feeling that the photographs themselves contain a knot that […]