Artist Henrike Naumann is dead

The artist Henrike Naumann, who was selected just a few months ago to co-design the German Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale, is dead. The artist, who was born in Zwickau in 1984, died in Berlin surrounded by family and friends “after being diagnosed with cancer much too late,” her family said.

The Institute for Foreign Relations responsible for the German Pavilion also confirmed Naumann’s death. Her death leaves a “painful void”. “With Henrike Naumann we are not only losing an important representative of contemporary German art, but also a warm-hearted, alert and highly committed personality.”

Art with furniture and design

Last year, Naumann and the Vietnamese-German artist Sung Tieu were selected as the designers of the German Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale, which is scheduled from May 9th to November 22nd and, alongside the documenta in Kassel, is considered the most important presentation of contemporary art. It was important to Naumann to complete and complete the work conceptually so that it could be implemented in accordance with her artistic vision, they said.

In her artistic work, Naumann used furniture and design to talk about society and politics. For this she has received many awards and been honored with exhibitions around the world.