Somalia (Federal Republic of) 2026

Title: Saddexleey
Commissioner: Abdirahman Yusuf Mohamud
Curators: Mohamed Mire and Fabio Scrivanti
Exhibitors: Ayan Farah, Asmaa Jama, Warsan Shire

The exhibition “SADDEXLEEY” brings together Ayan Farah, Asmaa Jama and Warsan Shire. Internationally recognised as the “Nation of Poets”, Somalia presents a Pavilion structured by a triadic rhythm across three floors. The title is derived from “saddex”, meaning three, describing a generative logic where sense unfolds through repetition, variation, and relation. The project spatialises poetic form in response to the Biennale’s theme, “In Minor Keys”, treating poetry not merely as content but as a methodology for organising space and perception.

The participating artists investigate memory and inheritance through diverse media. Ayan Farah utilizes textiles and sediment as carriers of time. Asmaa Jama employs film and performance to examine how heritage is documented and reactivated. Warsan Shire’s poetry addresses themes of displacement and intimacy, using language as both witness and archive. Collectively, these practices present belonging as a lived sensation rather than a formal declaration.