Somali Artists Take Issue With Nation's First-Ever Venice Biennale Pavilion
A coalition of Somalia-based cultural organizations criticized Somalia’s first-ever national pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, saying local artists and groups were not “meaningfully consulted” or included in the selection process, Hyperallergic reported. The pavilion, titled “SADDEXLEEY,” lists three diaspora artists—Ayan Farfah, Asmaa Jama, and Warsan Shire—prompting a statement from the Somalia Arts Foundation (SAF) and criticism from the Somali queer collective Warbixinta Cidda over the appointment of Italian graphic designer Fabio Scrivanti as co-curator alongside Mohamed Mire. SAF founder Sagal Ali cited the historical weight of Italy’s colonization of Somalia beginning in the 19th century in raising concerns about representation and authorship. Pavilion organizers responded that the project collaborates with Somalia-based artists, including Mogadishu painter 4C (Abdinasir Abdikadir), and said additional events would spotlight artists working in Somalia.
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This story was covered in Biennale Boycotts, Museums Under the Microscope