The international jury of the upcoming 61st Venice Biennale resigned on 30 April amid disagreements with the organisers’ decision to allow Russia to participate in this year’s event.
The decision to resign came a week after the jury said it would not consider works by artists from countries whose leaders are under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC). No specific countries were named, but the ICC had previously issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Following the jury’s dismissal, the Venice Biennale announced that the prize-giving ceremony, which was due to take place on the opening day on 9 May, will take place on 22 November, when the exhibition closes.
Venice Biennale organisers announced on 4 March that they would allow Russia to take part in this year’s exhibition, which runs from 9 May to 22 November – the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Their decision drew criticism, notably from the government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Maloni. The 22 culture ministers of EU states and a relevant Ukrainian official, as well as German Foreign Minister Johan Wadeful, emphasised in a joint statement that Russia’s participation in the Venice Biennale was unacceptable under circumstances where Moscow continues its “brutal, aggressive war against Ukraine”.
Ukrainian Foreign and Culture Ministers Andriy Sibiga and Tetyana Berezhnaya in a joint statement called on the Venice Biennale to prevent Russia from participating in the art event.
Ukraine also applied sanctions against five Russian cultural figures “who justify aggression and spread Russian propaganda at international events.”
The European Commission announced on 23 April that it was cutting off two million euros in funding for the Venice Biennale because of Russia’s admission to the contemporary art exhibition.
The Venice Biennale is one of the largest international cultural exhibitions, held every two years and covering various types of art – architecture, cinema, music, dance and theatre.
Russia’s participation in this year’s exhibition will be the first since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago.