Arts·Q with Tom Power

At the Venice Biennale, Kapwani Kiwanga uses small beads to tell a big story

The Canadian artist joins guest host Talia Schlanger to discuss her Biennale installation, Trinket, which consists of seven million tiny glass beads.

The artist transforms the Canada Pavilion with her shimmering installation, Trinket

Headshot of Kapwani Kiwanga.
Raised in Hamilton, Ont., Kapwani Kiwanga is Canada’s representative at the 2024 Venice Biennale. (Angela Scamarcio)

Kapwani Kiwanga is representing Canada at this year's Venice Biennale, the Olympics of visual art. Her installation, Trinket, uses seven million conteria — small glass beads from Venice — that not only shimmer, but interrogate a deep history of labour, cultural exchange and class dynamics. She joins guest host Talia Schlanger to discuss her Biennale artwork and how she uses small beads to tell a big story. Trinket is on display at the Venice Biennale in Italy until Nov. 24.

A room with geometric structures in it
Installation view of the exhibition Kapwani Kiwanga: Trinket, 2024, Canada Pavilion, 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. Commissioned by the National Gallery of Canada and supported by the Canada Council for the Arts © Kapwani Kiwanga / Adagp Paris / CARCC Ottawa 2024 (Photo: Valentina Mori)

The full interview with Kapwani Kiwanga is available on our podcast, Q with Tom Power. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.


Interview with Kapwani Kiwanga produced by Lise Hosein.