The Facts
Lisson Gallery announced on October 22, 2026, that Otobong Nkanga has created a new commission for the opening of Kanal – Centre Pompidou in Brussels. The installation centers on a series of wooden looms, inviting participants to weave personal and collective narratives into an evolving textile. The work transforms one of the museum's expansive spaces into a site for encounter and collective creation, exploring weaving as a social act that fosters dialogue around collaboration, sustainability, and shared authorship. Situated within the former car garage and industrial production site that now houses the museum, the installation reflects on the structures of labor and economic exchange underpinning cultural institutions. The piece is on view from November 28, 2026, to April 18, 2027.
The Signal
Nkanga, based in Antwerp, has built an internationally recognized practice spanning installation, sculpture, drawing, and performance, examining the interconnected relationships between people, materials, and their environments. Her recent accolades include a Special Mention at the 2019 Venice Biennale, the Nasher Art Prize in 2020, the Belgian Art Prize in 2021, a 2024 MoMA atrium commission, and the 2026 Sikkens Prize for innovative use of color. This commission underscores Kanal – Centre Pompidou's strategy of positioning itself as a community-building site, using participatory art to activate its industrial heritage. For collectors and curators, Nkanga's growing institutional footprint—from MoMA to this major European museum—signals sustained demand for socially engaged, process-based work that bridges materiality and collective action.
- Artists: Otobong Nkanga
- Galleries: Lisson Gallery
- Museums: Kanal – Centre Pompidou
- Locations: Brussels
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