Rajni Perera and Marigold Santos “Efflorescence/The Way We Wake” Corderia dell’Arsenal, Venice Biennale 2026

The sculpture by Rajni Perera and Marigold Santos on display at the Corderia dell’Arsenale for the 2026 Art Biennale depicts a strange female humanoid in a flower-filled garden.

Rajni Perera and Marigold Santos She lies face down, her upper body raised, her head hidden behind an African mask from which a three-pronged tongue protrudes.

She supports herself on her arms, crawling like a snake, for her legs are detached from her body and positioned in the opposite direction to her torso.

Plants and moss grow from certain parts of this body, as if nature were seeking to reclaim this unsettling form.

Finally, adding to the strangeness, her breasts are long, distended udders that reach down to the ground and are covered in leaves, reminiscent of a pair of boots with small fringes.

A black flower emerges from the tip of each breast.

Rajni Perera and Marigold Santos