The Venice Biennale opens to the press on Wednesday amid resignations, boycotts, and threats of funding cuts — "in turmoil" due to the return of Russia for the first time since the start of the Russian war against Ukraine, AFP reports, according to UNN.
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The world's largest contemporary art exhibition, held every two years in the Italian city of canals, features artists from several countries in conflict, including Ukraine, Israel, and the United States, although Iran canceled its plans to participate, the publication writes.
Russia was included in the program for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, sparking outrage from the Italian government and the European Union, which threatened to cut the event's funding by two million euros.
EU may strip Venice Biennale of funding over return of Russian pavilion23.04.26, 17:55
The Biennale jury resigned last week after declaring it would not grant awards to countries led by individuals for whom arrest warrants have been issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), namely Russia and Israel.
Jury of the 2026 Venice Biennale resigns over controversial decision30.04.26, 20:17
"Ultimately, the Russian pavilion will not be open to the public during the Biennale, which runs from May 9 to November 22," the publication states.
Instead, musical performances for the exhibition — "the tree is rooted in the sky" — will be recorded during this week's press previews and projected onto giant outdoor screens over the next six months, the publication writes.
They will feature about 30 "young musicians, philosophers, and poets," mostly from Russia, but also from Mexico, Mali, and Brazil, according to the project description.
On Monday, the EU again requested the Italian government to clarify the conditions for hosting the Russian delegation amid fears of violating European sanctions against Moscow.
According to Italian Ministry of Culture inspection documents leaked to the press last week, Biennale organizers argued that Russia has owned the Venice pavilion since 1914 and cannot be deprived of the right to use it.
Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, who from the beginning expressed the Italian government's disagreement regarding Russia's participation, stated that he would not travel to Venice.
As a result of the jury's resignation and the "exceptional nature of the current international geopolitical situation," the organizers moved the awards ceremony from May 9 to November 22, the final day of the exhibition.
The Biennale stated it would present two awards for which visitors can vote, one of which could be awarded to any national participant, including Russia.
This was dictated by the "principle of inclusiveness and equal treatment," the statement said.
"The Biennale strives to be and must remain a place of reconciliation in the name of art, culture, and artistic freedom," the statement reads.
Biennale President Buttafuoco, who took office in March 2024, has consistently maintained this line.
"Art has a power that far transcends any form of oppression. Art opens the way to the future and gives us the opportunity to eradicate catastrophes," he stated on Monday.