Wangechi Mutu’s ‘The SeasSpirit’ Explores Precolonial Hybridity at Victoria Miro Venice
Wangechi Mutu's exhibition titled 'The SeasSpirit' is on display at Victoria Miro Venice from July 18 to August 29, 2026. This showcase highlights the artist's paper works, where the Brooklyn-based, Kenyan artist utilizes ink, watercolor, collage, and mixed media to craft hybrid figures. Featured works include 'Snakebiter' (2026), 'Mamamadonna' (2026), and 'Mamawatoto' (2026). A critical essay examines Mutu's creations through the lenses of Donna Haraway's concept of sympoiesis and Édouard Glissant's notion of the 'right to opacity,' positing that her forms disrupt traditional categorizations of Black and female identities. The exhibition's ambiance, enriched by natural light and reflections from the lagoon, complements the artworks.
Key facts
- Wangechi Mutu's exhibition 'The SeasSpirit' is on view at Victoria Miro Venice from July 18 to August 29, 2026.
- The exhibition features works on paper, including 'Snakebiter' (2026), 'Mamamadonna' (2026), and 'Mamawatoto' (2026).
- Mutu combines ink, watercolor, collage, and mixed media in the series.
- The article applies Donna Haraway's concept of sympoiesis and Édouard Glissant's 'right to opacity' to interpret the works.
- Mutu's hybrid imagery critiques binary classifications of Black and female bodies in Western representation.
- The artist draws on her experience of growing up between Nairobi and Brooklyn.
- The installation at Victoria Miro Venice incorporates natural light and the lagoon setting.
- The exhibition is open until August 29, 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Wangechi Mutu
- Donna Haraway
- Édouard Glissant
Institutions
- Victoria Miro
- Victoria Miro Venice
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Nairobi
- Kenya
- Brooklyn
- United States