1922 Revisited Brings Contemporary Performance Into Dialogue With Venice Biennale History

Third Space Art Foundation presents multi-artist program engaging the 1922 exhibition during Biennale preview week

Apr. 19, 2026 at 10:19am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An abstract, minimalist composition of jagged, geometric shapes in bold colors, conceptually representing the themes of memory, embodiment, and the relationship between archive and lived experience explored in the 1922 Revisited program.1922 Revisited brings contemporary performance into dialogue with the historical framing of African art at the Venice Biennale.NYC Today

During the preview week of the Venice Biennale, May 5–9, 2026, Third Space Art Foundation will present 1922 Revisited, a live arts program curated by Dr. Janine A. Sytsma. Bringing together artists from across Africa and its diasporas, the initiative engages the historical framing of African art within the 1922 Biennale through contemporary performance.

Why it matters

1922 Revisited offers a platform for contemporary performance artists to confront the imperial logic of the Biennale, amplify long-silenced voices, introduce epistemologies rooted in African thought, and envision possibilities for renewal.

The details

The project takes as its point of reference the 1922 Venice Biennale, in which African objects were presented within a broader exhibition context. A century later, 1922 Revisited returns to this point through contemporary performance. The program unfolds across multiple sites in Venice and includes a series of live works that engage questions of memory, embodiment, and the relationship between archive and lived experience.

  • 1922 Biennale exhibition took place.
  • 1922 Revisited will be presented May 5–9, 2026, during the Venice Biennale preview week.

The players

Third Space Art Foundation

An organization that supports artistic exchange and collective engagement through the cultivation of third spaces - dynamic zones of encounter, negotiation, and creative transformation.

Dr. Janine A. Sytsma

The curator of the 1922 Revisited program.

African Art in Venice Forum

A collaborating partner on the 1922 Revisited program.

European Cultural Centre

A collaborating partner on the 1922 Revisited program.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“1922 Revisited offers a platform for contemporary performance artists to confront the imperial logic of the Biennale, amplify long-silenced voices, introduce epistemologies rooted in African thought, and envision possibilities for renewal.”

— Dr. Janine A. Sytsma, Curator

What’s next

The 1922 Revisited program will take place during the Venice Biennale preview week from May 5-9, 2026.

The takeaway

1922 Revisited aims to use contemporary performance to engage with the historical framing of African art within the 1922 Venice Biennale, amplifying long-silenced voices and introducing new perspectives rooted in African thought.