Lubaina Himid - Predicting History, Testing Translations

Himid's subversive paintings of skeptical workers question whether Britain is truly welcoming to immigrants, and whether they feel they belong

Published with British Pavillion 61st International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia.

In her paintings, prints and installations, Zanzibari-born British artist Lubaina Himid (born 1954) investigates race, feminism and cultural memory, particularly the overlooked influence of Black immigrants on Western culture. As the representative for Great Britain at the 2026 Venice Biennale, Himid fills the walls of the Giardini pavilion with large-scale, multi-panel paintings depicting Black tradespeople at work. Amid her characteristically vivid color palettes and an ambient soundtrack of ocean waves, these figures glance at each other nervously, as if trying to plan an escape. Says Himid, "Predicting History: Testing Translation grows out of my urgent interest in how we make a home, especially in places not designed to welcome us." This book documents the British Pavilion exhibition and includes five gatefolds designed to fully immerse readers in Himid's vibrant compositions.