Somali artists and cultural organizations raise concerns about the country’s first-ever pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Multiple groups say the pavilion does not adequately reflect artists and art organizations based in Somalia. They also object to how the pavilion’s curatorial process is carried out, including the involvement of an Italian co-curator, which they describe as resembling colonial oversight.
Hyperallergic reports that Somali cultural stakeholders were not “meaningfully consulted” or included in the selection process for the exhibition. Artforum similarly describes continuing controversies around the Biennale, highlighting that Somali representatives view the pavilion as falling short in terms of representation and participation.
The criticism centers on both content and process: the extent to which Somalia-based artists and institutions shape programming, and whether decision-making structures allow meaningful input from those communities. The accounts describe dissatisfaction rather than presenting evidence of any specific changes to the pavilion, and they frame the issue as part of broader debates about representation and authority in international art exhibitions.
