The world-renowned British artist, Lubaina Himid RA, CBE (b. 1954, Zanzibar), presents Presenting History: Testing Translation at The British Pavilion as part of 61st International Art Exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia.
‘I think of myself as a painter and cultural activist’, Himid has said of her hybrid practice, which established her as a leading figure of the Black British Art Movement in the 1980s. Over the past decade, she has earned international renown for her vivid portrayals of themes of race, feminism and cultural memory. Her work frequently employs storytelling and historical research to challenge Eurocentric narratives, exposing the human toll of empire while affirming the centrality of Black subjects.
Himid lives and works in Preston, UK and is Emeritus Professor of Contemporary Art at the University of Central Lancashire. One of the pioneers of the Black British Art Movement, Himid curated several significant exhibitions in the 1980s and 1990s, such as Five Black Women (1983) at the Africa Centre, London and The Thin Black Line (1985) at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London, both of which showcased the work of Black female artists in response to their exclusion from mainstream galleries. In 2017, Himid was awarded the Turner Prize and in 2018 she received the honorary title of CBE for her contributions to the arts.
On the installation and its themes, Himid said, ‘this has been an extraordinary opportunity to work with the British Pavilion and I look forward to visitors entering the space and listening to their own thoughts and memories, connecting with my installation in a way that feels alive with possibility. Predicting History: Testing Translation grows out of my urgent interest in how we make a home, especially in places not designed to welcome us. I hope those that experience the installation in Venice – and those who encounter it on the tour to Coventry, Belfast and Swansea – will find it to be a space where ideas about belonging can be shared, tested and reimagined together.’
The installation is open to the public from Saturday 9 May to Sunday 22 November 2026.