Venice Biennale Jury Steps Down Amid Controversy Over Russian Pavilion
Jury Resigns from Venice Biennale Amid Controversy Over National Pavilion Exclusions
The jury of the Venice Biennale’s International Art Exhibition has officially resigned just days after announcing a policy that would exclude national pavilions belonging to leaders indicted for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC) from prize consideration.
This decision is perceived as specifically targeting the pavilions of Israel and Russia, as both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin have outstanding arrest warrants from the ICC for alleged war crimes.
The Venice Biennale, which also oversees the Venice Film Festival in September, publicized the jury’s resignation in a brief statement on Thursday, offering no further insights into their motives.
Tensions surrounding the Biennale have escalated, particularly regarding its decision to permit Russia to host a pavilion. This pavilion is among a total of 100 national representations and 31 collateral events at the 61st edition of the event.
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s head of foreign policy, announced last week that the EU would withdraw a €2 million ($2.3 million) grant to the Venice Biennale due to violations of sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“While Russia bombs museums, destroys churches and seeks to erase Ukrainian culture, it should not be allowed to exhibit its own,” Kallas stated. Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli also indicated his intention to boycott the opening ceremony on May 9 in protest of Russia’s participation.
Nadya Tolokonnikova, co-founder of the exiled Russian collective Pussy Riot, confirmed the group would attend the Biennale to protest Russia’s return. In a social media post, she emphasized, “If art is meant to represent a country at the Venice Biennale — something like the Olympics of the art world — then artists imprisoned for their anti-war, pro-Ukraine stance are the real face of modern Russia.” She criticized the portrayal of artists affiliated with government propaganda.
Tolokonnikova proposed that Pussy Riot should curate Russia’s pavilion for the 2028 edition, asserting, “We offer our curatorial services. All we need is access to Russia’s pavilion.”
Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, president of the Biennale Foundation, defended the decision to allow Russia to participate. Russia has maintained a national pavilion at the Venice Biennale since 1914, though it withdrew from the 2022 edition due to the Ukraine conflict.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed surprise at the jury’s resignation during a scheduled press conference shortly after the news broke. “I’m a little lost on the dynamics of this affair,” she remarked, reiterating the government’s disapproval of Russia’s pavilion while acknowledging the Biennale’s autonomy.
The jury, led by Solange Oliveira Farkas, founder of the Associação Cultural Videobrasil, included prominent curators and art historians. They were set to announce prize winners on May 9, coinciding with the public opening of the exhibition.
Awards include the Golden Lion for Best National Participation and the Silver Lion for a promising young participant. Australia won the main national prize in the 2024 edition.
