Henrike Naumann, Artist set to represent Germany at Venice Biennale 2026, Dies at 41
Henrike Naumann, born in Zwickau (East Germany) in 1984, belonged to a generation of German artists who developed a unique artistic voice amid the tensions between political reality, local roots, cultural independence and international aspirations.
Henrike Naumann, together with Sung Tieu, is representing the German Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale this year. The curator is Kathleen Reinhardt. For Naumann, this exhibition marks one of the most important milestones in her artistic career. It was important to her to conceptually complete and finalise the work so that it could be realised in Venice in accordance with Naumann's artistic vision.
Her works can be seen in the touring exhibition EVROVIZION, a collaborative project that has been on display since 2021, primarily in the eastern regions of Europe. Her sense for combining aesthetic orders with geopolitical constellations and narratives in an original and powerful way and for thinking of art as a bridge between cultures was evident time and again.
The Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (IFA), which is responsible for the German Pavilion released a statement: "With Henrike Naumann's passing, we have lost not only an important representative of contemporary German art, but also a warm-hearted, alert and highly committed personality. Her legacy lives on – in her works, in the numerous international collaborations she initiated, and in the many people who were inspired by her thinking and creativity."
Main Image: Henrike Naumann, photo: Victoria Tomaschko