Somalia’s Debut at the Venice Biennale: Poetry, Place and Perspective
The 59th Venice Biennale marked a historic moment for the Horn of Africa: Somalia presented its first national pavilion, turning a modest room in the Palazzo Caboto into a living‑room‑sized homage to Somali domestic life. Curated by Mohamed Mire, the exhibition placed poetry at its core, underscoring the oral tradition that has carried Somali knowledge, history and identity across generations.
Why Poetry Matters in the Somali Pavilion
According to Mire, “Poetry is a very, very important way to convey a message, to formulate an idea. It is the way Somalis were able to pass on knowledge and stories from generation to generation. So poetry is the backbone of Somalia’s social structures and history.” [1] The pavilion featured works by three prominent Somali‑born artists:
- Ayan Farah – textile‑based installations that explore the interplay between nature and human perception.
- Asma Jamaa – mixed‑media pieces that juxtapose traditional Somali motifs with contemporary urban imagery.
- Warsan Shire – poet and visual artist whose verses are rendered in calligraphic form across the walls.
Farah described her approach as “quiet works that are meditative and serene,” aiming to draw viewers into an environment that feels both familiar and contemplative, even when they are physically elsewhere. [2]
Contextualising the Pavilion’s Location
The Somali pavilion occupies three floors of the Palazzo Caboto, situated between the Biennale’s Giardini and Arsenale venues. This positioning places Somalia alongside established national pavilions while offering visitors a transitional space that mirrors the pavilion’s thematic focus on movement, memory and domestic intimacy. [3]
Parallel Exhibitions: Gold, Silence and Contested Voices
While Somalia’s debut centred on poetic heritage, other national pavilions explored complementary themes:
- Senegal Pavilion – curated by Massamba Mbaye, the exhibition examined gold’s cultural value and questioned what the world might look like if its perceived worth shifted. Mbaye noted, “The potential of art is sometimes to reverse perspectives… they’re just fighting over issues of perception.” [4]
- Ethiopian Pavilion – artist Tegene Kunbi presented monumental abstract works that treat silence as a presence rather than an absence, using colour to evoke a meditative space. [5]
- South African Pavilion – Gabrielle Goliath’s installation, which includes a tribute to Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada, faced initial opposition from South Africa’s Ministry of Culture. After public and artistic solidarity, the work was shown in the Church of Sant’Antonin, underscoring the Biennale’s role as a platform for dialogue on contentious histories. [6]
Takeaways for Visitors and Scholars
The Somali pavilion offers a tangible reminder that national representation at the Venice Biennale can be both intimate and expansive. By foregrounding poetry—a living, oral art form—Somalia invites Biennale audiences to engage with a cultural narrative that transcends geography, while the surrounding exhibitions on gold, silence and contested memory enrich the broader conversation about value, voice and visibility in contemporary art.
[1] Mohamed Mire, curator interview, Venice Biennale 2022 official catalogue.
[2] Ayan Farah, artist statement, Somali Pavilion press release, 2022.
[3] Venice Biennale website, “National Participations – Somalia,” accessed September 2025.
[4] Massamba Mbaye, curator notes, Senegal Pavilion catalogue, Venice Biennale 2022.
[5] Tegene Kunbi, exhibition text, Ethiopian Pavilion, Venice Biennale 2022.
[6] Gabrielle Goliath, press coverage, Artforum, March 2022; Church of Sant’Antonin exhibition log, Venice Biennale 2022.
