Vanessa Beecroft and the biennial presence at Nimu Dormi
Published on 08/20/2026 at 13:25 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Vanessa Beecroft brings her VB performance archive into a new Mediterranean setting at the Renava Biennale 2026 in Bonifacio. As the Lia Rumma Gallery notes, the exhibition Nimu Dormi features her video works VB48 and VB52 within the biennial’s nocturnal theme.
VB48 and VB52 at Nimu Dormi
The Renava Biennale’s 2026 edition Nimu Dormi runs in Bonifacio, Corsica, where Vanessa Beecroft exhibits the video documentations VB48 and VB52 in collaboration with Lia Rumma Gallery. The presentation is housed at Place de l'Europe in Bonifacio, anchoring her work in a coastal public setting. Lia Rumma news page on Nimu Dormi
Within Nimu Dormi, Beecroft’s contribution focuses on the female body staged as still, choreographed formations, filmed and re-presented as durational images rather than live performance. The biennial’s title, translated as 'No One Sleeps', amplifies the sense of vigilance and exposed vulnerability in these works.
Biennial and fair presence in 2026
Alongside Renava, Vanessa Beecroft’s 2026 calendar includes her installation Untitled (Izanami) at Art Basel Unlimited, presented by Lia Rumma at booth U14 in June 2026. Conceived with Bianca Censori in the central role, the work extends Beecroft’s interest in staged bodies into immersive film-set environments. Project description at Lia Rumma
Earlier in 2026, Lia Rumma showed Beecroft in St. Moritz within the platform Der Pavilion, where Singular Voices combined exhibitions and performances in hotel spaces. This sequence of biennial, fair and curated platforms underlines how her performance-derived image practice circulates beyond traditional museum retrospectives, into hybrid cultural formats.
All news and background on Vanessa Beecroft
For further context on Vanessa Beecroft’s performances, biennial projects and image-based works, the AD HOC NEWS archive offers additional reports and market coverage.
How the artist works
Vanessa Beecroft, born in Genoa in 1969, has developed a performance language centered on groups of women positioned in controlled tableaux, often designated by the VB numbering system since the early 1990s. SITE Santa Fe underscores how these performances shape debates on nakedness, clothing, constraint and freedom. Artist profile at SITE Santa Fe
Where the artist stands now
Vanessa Beecroft’s current position is defined by her sustained performance archive, ongoing collaborations with Lia Rumma and Art Basel, and her biennial contributions such as Nimu Dormi, which keep her VB series active within international curatorial frameworks.
Key facts on Vanessa Beecroft
- Artist: Vanessa Beecroft
- Medium / Genre: Performance and installation with strong photographic and video components
- Born: 1969, Genoa, Italy
- Place(s) of practice: International practice with strong ties to Italy and the United States
- Active since: Early 1990s, with the VB performance series starting in 1993
- Key work groups: VB performance series, Untitled (Izanami), Broken Arm, Large Body
- Current/last exhibition: Nimu Dormi, Renava Biennale, Bonifacio, Corsica, 2026
- Major collections: Presence in major international institutions including SITE Santa Fe and leading European museums and foundations
- Awards: Recognized in institutional contexts and biennials, though major prize listings remain selective and focused on her performance impact
- Next date: Participation in ongoing 2026 programs at Renava Biennale and related European platforms
Frequently asked questions about Vanessa Beecroft
Where can Vanessa Beecroft’s work be experienced in 2026?
In 2026, Vanessa Beecroft’s video performances VB48 and VB52 are shown at the Renava Biennale’s Nimu Dormi in Bonifacio, Corsica, while Untitled (Izanami) appeared at Art Basel Unlimited in June.
What defines Vanessa Beecroft’s VB series?
Beecroft’s VB series consists of choreographed performances of female bodies in structured formations, which SITE Santa Fe highlights as shaping discourse on the representation of the female body, tension between nakedness and clothing, and collective versus individual presence.
How does Vanessa Beecroft’s biennial presence relate to her broader practice?
Her participation in Renava’s Nimu Dormi and Art Basel Unlimited extends her performance language into curated biennials and fairs, where video and installation formats translate the durational live events into enduring visual environments.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
