By Zakaria Hassan - Reporter
SOMALIA, Aug. 14, 2026 – Somali artists have gathered in Mogadishu for an exhibition featuring paintings, photography and films that showcase the country’s culture, history and contemporary identity while presenting a broader image of Somalia to audiences at home and abroad.
The “Saddexleey” exhibition brings together works by Somali artists, photographers and filmmakers as part of a programme connecting Mogadishu with Somalia’s participation in an art exhibition in Venice, Italy, organisers said.
The programme aims to introduce Somali audiences to the works being exhibited in Venice and eventually bring them back to Somalia. The works are expected to be displayed at the National Museum of Somalia after the Venice exhibition closes in November.
Osman Geedow Amir, director of the National Museum of Somalia, said the initiative has two goals: presenting Somali culture and heritage to an international audience while helping young Somalis better understand and engage with their own history and identity.
He said the Venice exhibition provides an important platform for Somali artists to showcase the country’s cultural and historical heritage internationally, while bringing the programme back to Somalia would give young people greater access to their cultural heritage.
“This is a connected programme between Venice and Mogadishu,” Amir said.
Somali artist Abdinasir Abdikarim said his work had attracted interest from audiences outside Somalia, citing one of his earlier paintings exhibited in Italy.
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“One of my earlier paintings was made in Italy, and people there really liked it. The painting represented Somalia and its map,” he said.
The Mogadishu exhibition features paintings and photography alongside films produced by Somali filmmakers, offering visitors different perspectives on the country’s culture, history and contemporary life.
Photographer Fardowso Hussein welcomed the opportunity for young people to gather in Mogadishu and take part in cultural activities.
“I am happy that we are in Mogadishu and that it is safe, and young people can come together whenever they want,” she said.
Organisers said the exhibition also aims to challenge international perceptions of Somalia that have long been dominated by images of war, famine and conflict, instead highlighting the country’s artists, cultural heritage, history and creative communities.
The Venice exhibition is expected to close at the end of November, after which organisers plan to bring the programme to Mogadishu and display the works at the National Museum, Amir said.