The Bahamas Announces Its Participation in the 61st International Venice Biennale
The Bahamas will participate in the 61st International Venice Biennale (6 May–22 November 2026), marking only the second time the nation has been represented at this prestigious global art exhibition.
The Bahamian Pavilion will present a posthumous collaboration between revered Bahamian artist John Beadle (1964–2024) and critically acclaimed contemporary artist Lavar Munroe (b. 1982). Both artists’ practices are deeply rooted in Junkanoo—the national processional festival of The Bahamas—and transform discarded materials into powerful works that address social issues and celebrate hidden or undervalued aspects of society.
John Beadle, a painter, sculptor, and lifelong Junkanooer, created relief monuments using cardboard, wood, and salvaged objects, addressing themes from migration to insecurity. He played a formative role across different artistic communities and paved the way for Munroe’s generation.
Lavar Munroe, an interdisciplinary artist from Grants Town, Nassau, works across mixed-media painting, sculpture, and drawing, blending spirituality, mythology, and history through African diasporic symbolism. Represented by Monique Meloche Gallery (Chicago) and Larkin Durey (London), his work combines paint, airbrush, collage, ceramic, glass, feathers, cardboard, and other sacred objects.
“This extraordinary opportunity offers a space to present work that critically, intellectually and artistically engages with the global audience, while celebrating the depth and creativity of Bahamian contemporary art,” said Lavar Munroe.
The Pavilion will be curated by Dr Krista Thompson, Mary Jane Crowe Professor of Art History at Northwestern University and author of influential Caribbean art texts. Her curatorial vision aligns with the Biennale’s theme “In Minor Keys,” celebrating artists who work at the boundaries of form.
