ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

House of Nisaba: New Stories of Painting at Moderna Museet and Kunsthaus Zürich

exhibition · 2026-05-14

The exhibition 'House of Nisaba: New Stories of Painting' brings together twenty-nine international artists, with twenty-five creating new works, to explore the resurgence of figurative and allegorical painting in the twenty-first century. Drawing on the ancient Sumerian goddess Nisaba, who presided over the invention of writing around 3100 BCE, the show examines how painting functions as a form of storytelling in an era of information acceleration and societal fragmentation. The exhibition is co-organized by Moderna Museet in Stockholm and Kunsthaus Zürich, signaling a return to narrative-driven painting in contemporary art.

Key facts

  • Twenty-nine international artists are included in the exhibition.
  • Twenty-five artists created new works for this occasion.
  • The exhibition is titled 'House of Nisaba: New Stories of Painting'.
  • It is co-organized by Moderna Museet and Kunsthaus Zürich.
  • The show references the Sumerian goddess Nisaba, associated with writing and grain counting from 3100 BCE.
  • The exhibition focuses on the resurgence of figurative and allegorical painting.
  • It considers painting's meanings and functions in today's world.
  • The exhibition signals a return to allegorical painting in contemporary art.

Entities

Institutions

  • Moderna Museet
  • Kunsthaus Zürich

Locations

  • Stockholm
  • Sweden
  • Zürich
  • Switzerland
  • Mesopotamia

Sources