Palazzo Grassi in Venice is hosting a major retrospective of Michael Armitage, featuring forty-five paintings and nearly a hundred drawings that blend political realities with dreamlike imagery. The exhibition highlights Armitage's use of lubugo bark cloth, a traditional East African material, and his exploration of themes such as political violence, immigration, and corruption, with works drawn from major collections including the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This retrospective matters because it positions Armitage as a leading contemporary artist whose hybrid practice bridges Western modernity and African traditions, offering a powerful commentary on global sociopolitical issues. The exhibition's extended run through January 2027 at a prestigious Venetian institution underscores the growing recognition of artists from the Global South and the importance of material innovation in contemporary painting.