Lubaina Himid’s British pavilion at the Venice Biennale review – alienation in a green and pleasant land

Amid a calming soundtrack of lapping waves and cooing birds, workers in brightly coloured paintings share glances that say: ‘What the hell are we doing here?’ But isn’t there more to not belonging than this show suggests? Home comforts aren’t always all that comfortable. Here at the Venice Biennale, Lubaina Himid paints an awkward, tense, uncomfortable portrait of our damp old home nation. Her installation of monumental paintings and a wall of painted oars at the British pavilion is full of tailors and cooks and architects, the people who shape the country, keeping it fed, clothed and sheltered. An audio piece burbles through the space with the sound of bucolic country life: seagulls, rigging slapping on masts, bird calls and buzzing flies.

How lovely Great Britain is, how welcoming and kind and accepting. Continue reading... Review Amid a calming soundtrack of lapping waves and cooing birds, workers in brightly coloured paintings share glances that say: ‘What the hell are we doing here?’ But isn’t there more to not belonging than this show suggests? H ome comforts aren’t always all that comfortable. Here at the Venice Biennale , Lubaina Himid paints an awkward, tense, uncomfortable portrait of our damp old home nation.

Her installation of monumental paintings and a wall of painted oars at the British pavilion is full of tailors and cooks and architects, the people who shape the country, keeping it fed, clothed and sheltered. An audio piece burbles through the space with the sound of bucolic country life: seagulls, rigging slapping on masts, bird calls and buzzing flies. How lovely Great Britain is, how welcoming and kind and accepting. Nevertheless, the questions lay bare the existential angst of the show, this feeling that if you’re different, you’ll never truly feel part of anything. The show is specifically about migration and the emotional, societal status of people who move to Britain, but belonging is a lot more complicated than this exhibition wants to believe.

Millions of people in Britain feel as if they don’t belong. Despite all the bright colours, despite the calming sounds of lapping waves and cooing birds, Himid sees a darker truth to Britain: it might be green and pleasant, but for a lot of people, it’ll never feel like home. Explore more on these topics Share Reuse this content Amid a calming soundtrack of lapping waves and cooing birds, workers in brightly coloured paintings share glances that say: ‘What the hell are we doing here?’ But isn’t there more to not belonging than this show suggests? Home comforts aren’t always all that comfortable. Here at the Venice Biennale, Lubaina Himid paints an awkward, tense, uncomfortable portrait of our damp old home nation.

Her installation of monumental paintings and a wall of painted oars at the British pavilion is full of tailors and cooks and architects, the people who shape the country, keeping it fed, clothed and sheltered. An audio piece burbles through the space with the sound of bucolic country life: seagulls, rigging slapping on masts, bird calls and buzzing flies. How lovely Great Britain is, how welcoming and kind and accepting. Continue reading... Lubaina Himid’s British pavilion at the Venice Biennale review – alienation in a green and pleasant land