The Entire Jury Of The Venice Biennale Has Resigned To Protest Israel And Russia Being Included In The Art Event
With no jury, the Biennale announced that visitors will now select the winners.
The entire jury of the Venice Biennale, one of the world's oldest and most prestigious art exhibitions, has resigned nine days before the exhibition opens in protest against Israel and Russia’s participation.
The Venice Biennale is an art exhibition often called “the Olympics of the art world,” showcasing contemporary art and architecture in Venice, Italy.
The five-member jury, led by president Solange Farkas and including Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma and Giovanna Zapperi, announced on April 23 that it would not award prizes to countries whose leaders face charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC), effectively banning Israel and Russia from the awards.
In 2023 and 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu for their war crimes and crimes against humanity respectively.
Russia is returning to the exhibition after sitting out 2022 and 2024 following its invasion of Ukraine.
More than 6,000 artists, academics and political figures had signed an open letter urging the Biennale to reconsider Russia's inclusion, and the EU had already cut US$2 million in funding for the Biennale for including Russia.
However, the Biennale's director Pietrangelo Buttafuoco still refused to remove Russia from the exhibition.
A separate letter signed by 73 artists and curators already participating in the Biennale called on organizers not to include Russia, Israel and the US, over their ongoing wars and occupations.
Italy's culture minister Alessandro Giuli, who said he will not attend the opening, condemned what he called discrimination and antisemitism in Italian cultural institutions, according to AP.
On May 1, the entire jury then resigned without an explanation, the Biennale said.
With no jury, the Biennale announced that visitors will now select the winners.
The Biennale opened on May 9, and awards will be given on the closing day, Nov. 22.
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Flavie Chen
Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
