On the occasion of the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, Guest Artists Space (GAS) presents a multimedia installation created by Koyo Kouoh: Chorus.
Among the voices contributing to the project’s realization is also Umar Rashid, an artist represented by the Studio d’Arte Raffaelli.
Umar Rashid was born in 1976 in Chicago, Illinois but currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California. Throughout his life, he was dedicated to telling the story of the French Empire in a fictionalized version that blends the French and English colonial powers that once ruled vast areas of the globe. Through his art he deepens the connection with its origins using the mixture of traditional techniques and references from pop culture, spirituality and politics subverting traditional narratives of colonialism by placing attention on these complex issues.
Guest Artist Space, with which he collaborates, is a Nigerian non-profit association founded in 2019 by artist Yinka Shonibare. It employs numerous collaborators from around the world with the aim of creating a platform dedicated to professional development through creative exchange.
The work conceived for the 2026 Biennale takes the form of a contemplative and sensory environment born from the experience of the film, where sounds, colors, and moving images intertwine, transporting visitors on a journey through the dialogues of the former residents of the association.
It is possible to visit it on display at the Venice Arsenal from 9 May to 22 November 2026.
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61st International Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia by Koyo Kouoh, ABOUT, disponibile al link: https://www.guestartistsspace.com/
Photo Credit: Guest Artist Space Foundation