18/05/2026
One of the highlights from my visit to Venice for the opening of the 61st Biennale di Venezia (and there were many) was the major exhibition the Pinault Collection is presenting of Kenyan-British artist Michael Armitage at the Palazzo Grassi.
The showcase features 45 paintings and over 100 preparatory studies that highlight his dense, vibrant pictorial style. Armitage navigates between reality and dreamlike visions to address heavy contemporary themes, including East African sociopolitical tensions (such as the 2017 Kenyan elections and 2020-21 lockdowns), violence, corruption, and the global migration crisis.
His iconography blends global art history with local context, drawing from African literature, cinema, Western masters like Goya, and modernist African artists. Notably, Armitage rejects traditional Western canvas, painting with oil on traditional bark cloth from Uganda and Indonesia, allowing the material's natural holes and creases to directly shape his multi-layered compositions.
His works are a powerful reminder of the continuing crises we face in the world today.
Must see if you haven't already been!
