73 Participants of the Venice Biennale Protest Against the Participation of Russia, Israel, and the United States at the 61st Exhibition

Seventy-three participants of the Venice Biennale have voiced their resolute protest against the involvement of Russia, Israel, and the United States in the 61st exhibition, which is set to run from May 9 to November 22, 2026. This open letter, in which the artists express their discontent, was published in the South African art journal ArtThrob.

The artists who signed the letter are particularly opposed to the decision made by the Biennale organizers to relocate the Israeli pavilion to the Arsenale, where the main part of the exhibition takes place. They argue that this decision contradicts the vision of the late curator Koyo Kuo and will create 'conditions of violence and fear' due to the presence of military and police accompanying the pavilion. This has raised concerns among artists who believe that such a presence will only exacerbate tensions.

In their letter, the artists also expressed solidarity with all individuals facing systemic oppression, inequality, and destruction. They referenced genocides and ethnic cleansing in Palestine, Sudan, and Myanmar, as well as rampant violence, occupation, and war in Cameroon, Congo, Cuba, Iran, Kashmir, Lebanon, Mozambique, Ukraine, Venezuela, and many other regions where conflicts and human rights violations persist.

According to the signatories, they approached the Biennale organizers on March 13, 2026, requesting the cancellation of the relocation of the Israeli pavilion, but received a response stating that the organizers had declared neutrality on the matter. This decision sparked further outrage among artists, who believe there is a threshold beyond which participation in the Biennale should not be normalized. They emphasized that the current conditions demand that the Venice Biennale exclude any official delegation from existing regimes committing war crimes, including Israel, Russia, and the United States.

On March 3, 2026, Mikhail Shvydkoy, a representative of the Russian Federation for international cultural exchanges, announced that the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale would open in May 2026 — the first time since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This announcement provoked outrage among many artists and cultural figures, who deem Russia's return to the international cultural arena unacceptable.

On March 4, 2026, the exhibition organizers confirmed Russia's return, stating that 'the Biennale in Venice rejects any form of exclusion or censorship of culture and art.' These words incited even more protests, as many believe that Russia's participation in the exhibition is inappropriate due to its aggressive actions in Ukraine and other violations of international law.

The head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andriy Sybiha, and the Minister of Culture of Ukraine, Tetiana Berezhna, urged the organizers of the Venice Biennale to reconsider their decision regarding Russia's participation in the exhibition. They stressed that since 2014, Russia has deliberately destroyed cultural heritage sites in Ukraine, violating norms of international humanitarian law and the provisions of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

Russia's return to the Venice Biennale has also drawn condemnation from Lithuania. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, Kęstutis Budrys, stated that 'the Venice Biennale's decision to roll out the red carpet for Russia's dark cultural diplomacy is disgusting.' This statement underscores the widespread discontent among the Baltic states and other European nations regarding Russia's participation in international cultural events.

Governments from 22 European countries have signed a joint protest against Russia's participation in the Venice Biennale. This protest was handed to the exhibition president, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, and the Italian Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli. The Italian Ministry of Culture stated that Russia's participation in the exhibition was a fully autonomous decision by the Biennale Foundation, despite the contrary position of the government.

The Venice Biennale provided the Italian Ministry of Culture with all requested information regarding Russia's participation in the exhibition. They stated that 'there were no violations of rules, and sanctions against Russia were fully complied with.' This situation continues to spark lively discussions within cultural circles, as the issue of the participation of countries committing aggression in international cultural events remains highly relevant.