Congratulations to Wangechi Mutu on being awarded the National Gallery's 2026 Contemporary Fellowship, in partnership with the Whitworth.
Known primarily for her painting, sculpture, film, and performance work, Mutu explores and subverts visual tropes from popular culture, challenging dominant narratives around race, sexuality, ecology, and global politics to create her own form of mythmaking. The Fellowship will culminate in an exhibition at the National Gallery in London in October 2027 and at the Whitworth in Manchester in spring 2028.
The National Gallery Contemporary Fellowship is supported by the Art Fund. The exhibition is commissioned in partnership with the National Gallery and the Whitworth, The University of Manchester.
Image: Wangechi Mutu in the National Gallery© Photo: The National Gallery, London
April 22 2026
