Lubaina Himid, the Turner Prize-winning artist known for her work exploring race, history and identity, will represent the United Kingdom at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026, the British Council has announced. She will present a major solo exhibition of new work at the British Pavilion.
Born in Zanzibar in 1954 and based in Preston, England, Himid has been a leading voice in contemporary British art for decades. A pioneer of the Black British Art Movement, she has long used painting, installation and curation to challenge Eurocentric narratives and highlight the overlooked contributions of Black figures in Western history.
Credit Adama Jalloh
Himid first gained recognition in the 1980s through exhibitions such as Five Black Women at the Africa Centre and The Thin Black Line at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts, both of which addressed the marginalisation of Black female artists. She won the Turner Prize in 2017, becoming the first Black woman to do so, and was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire the following year for her contributions to the arts.
Emma Dexter, Director Visual Arts and the British Council Collection and Commissioner of the British Pavilion said: “Himid pushes the boundaries of painting practice through sound and sculptural installation, incorporating new materials, textures, narratives and formats in her work. Combining a radical optimism with social critique, she will transform the Pavilion with her vibrant, articulate and spatially dynamic artworks. Himid’s exhibitions take the visitor on an exploratory journey, which is why it’s so exciting to imagine how she will use the enfilade of six spaces in the British Pavilion. We are truly delighted to be working with Lubaina Himid on the British Council commission for 2026.”
On accepting the commission, Himid described her selection as both an honour and an opportunity. “I laughed out loud with both disbelief and pleasure when I found out about this wonderful invitation,” she said. “It’s a brilliant and exciting chance to create something that resonates with multiple audiences, engages with complex histories, and looks towards a more collaborative future.”
©2025 The British Council
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