Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons “Anatomy of the Magnolia Tree for Koyo Kouoh and Toni Morrisson” Central Pavilion of the Giardini, Venice Biennale 2026

Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Central Pavilion of the Giardini, Venice Biennale 2026

Maria Campos-Pons In this colourful and vibrant work exhibited at the 2026 Venice Biennale, Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons has painted portraits of Toni Morrison, the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and Koyo Kouoh, the first African woman to curate the Venice Art Biennale.

Her work, which takes the form of eight large panels featuring portraits of the two women surrounded by plants and flowers, is likely inspired by traditional Japanese painting.

To complement her feminist message, the artist has included some beautiful sculptures of magnolia flowers, made from glass and resin.

The magnolia flower has indeed become a symbol of solidarity among Black women in the southern United States.

Maria Campos-Pons