Zimbabwe will present Second Nature | Manyonga at the 61st Venice Art Biennale, marking the country’s continued participation in the prestigious international exhibition since 2011. The pavilion brings together a group of contemporary artists whose work explores themes of adaptation, memory, and regeneration.

The exhibition is curated by Fadzai Veronica Muchemwa and commissioned by Raphael Chikukwa, Executive Director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. It is scheduled to run from 20 April to 23 November 2026.

According to the curatorial team, Second Nature | Manyonga draws on the concept of neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to reorganize itself—as a metaphor for broader cultural and societal shifts. The exhibition considers how individuals and communities respond to change, particularly in the context of technology, climate, and shifting social structures.

The pavilion will feature works by five artists:

Felix Shumba, whose multimedia installations engage with themes of colonial history, social structures, and environmental change.

Pardon Mapondera, known for sculptural works that examine material transformation and ethical regeneration.

Eva Raath, who works primarily with textiles and printmaking, using domestic materials to reflect on personal and collective identity.

Tariro Kamuti, whose practice often focuses on land, conflict, and memory through installation and object-based works.

Moffat Takadiwa, whose sculptural language incorporates found materials, addressing consumption, language, and post-colonial identity.

The artists use a range of media, including recycled materials, video, drawing, and textiles. Together, their works examine how memory and perception can be reshaped by internal and external forces.

Context

Zimbabwe first participated in the Venice Biennale in 2011 and has since used the platform to present work that reflects on national identity, historical narratives, and social change. This year’s exhibition continues in that tradition, while also engaging with contemporary global discourses on environment, technology, and cultural resilience.

The 2026 edition of the Biennale takes place under the broader theme established by the Biennale’s artistic director (TBD), offering national pavilions a platform to interpret and respond through their own cultural lens.

Pavilion Location

The Zimbabwe Pavilion will be located at Santa Maria della Pietà, a venue it has used in several previous editions.

For more information, visit www.labiennale.org.