Equatorial Guinea makes its debut at the Venice Biennale with a national pavilion at Palazzo Donà dalle Rose, featuring Paraguayan artist Ingrid Seall and her work "Manar." The pavilion, titled "The Forest: The Undergrowth," runs from May 9 to November 22, 2026, and presents an immersive journey inspired by Equatorial Guinea's forests. Seall's piece uses materials like paper, cellulose, iron, and cassava paste to create a vertical, living organism that transforms waste into vital matter. The exhibition includes works by multiple international artists and is curated by Joan Abelló, with Brazilian commissioner Paulo Speller.
This debut marks a historic first for Equatorial Guinea in the official programming of the Venice Biennale, highlighting the country's cultural presence on a global stage. The pavilion's theme of undergrowth and the unconscious aligns with the Biennale's 61st edition theme "In Minor Keys," offering a topical reflection on humanity's relationship with nature, memory, and spirituality. By featuring a Paraguayan artist for an African nation's pavilion, the exhibition also underscores the transnational and collaborative nature of contemporary art biennials.