Ajanku has been an artist for her entire life. “I sat at the knees of my quilt-making grandmother,” Ajanku said. “My other grandmother was a crochet hobbyist. Those are the hands that formed ...

He is based in London. A version of this article appears in print on Dec. 7, 2024, Section C, Page 4 of the New York edition with the headline: First African Woman Is Named to Head Venice Biennale.