African Art in Venice Forum 2026 to Challenge Visibility at the Biennale
The African Art in Venice Forum (AAVF) will host its 2026 edition during the 61st Venice Biennale, focusing on the theme 'Beyond Visibility: A Method of Inquiry.' Founded in 2017 by African Art Dialogues, this free public discursive platform operates as a critical counterpoint to the Biennale's national pavilions, addressing the marginalization of African contemporary art. Over its first three editions, it has gathered over two hundred speakers from five continents and engaged more than thirty thousand participants both in person and online. The 2026 iteration is strengthened by collaborations with Strauss & Co and the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, emphasizing dialogue over exhibitions. Founder Neri Torcello highlights that African art is a dynamic field resisting rigid categorization. The forum aims to expand discourse beyond established institutional circuits, creating an immaterial cultural infrastructure based on mutual listening and alternative narratives within Venice's geopolitical art landscape.
Key facts
- The African Art in Venice Forum (AAVF) was founded in 2017.
- It is produced by the non-profit organization African Art Dialogues.
- The 2026 edition will occur during the 61st Venice Biennale.
- Its theme is 'Beyond Visibility: A Method of Inquiry.'
- Collaborators include Strauss & Co and the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art.
- Over 200 speakers from five continents have participated in past editions.
- More than 30,000 participants have engaged in person and online.
- Founder Neri Torcello emphasizes the dynamic nature of African art.
Entities
Artists
- Neri Torcello
Institutions
- African Art in Venice Forum (AAVF)
- African Art Dialogues
- Strauss & Co
- Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
- Venice Biennale
- Collezione da Tiffany
Locations
- Venice
- Italy