Israeli Pavilion Artist Made Legal Threats Before Venice Biennale Jury Resigned

Hyperallergic reports that Israeli Pavilion artist Belu-Simion Fainaru issued legal warnings alleging antisemitism and nationality-based discrimination after the Venice Biennale jury said it would not consider Israel and Russia for awards. The women-led jury—Elvira Dyangani Ose, Zoe Butt, Marta Kuzma, Giovanna Zapperi, and chair Solange Farkas—announced on April 22 that it would omit nations “whose leaders are currently charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court,” and the Biennale Foundation initially defended the jury’s autonomy. Eight days later the jury resigned, prompting the Biennale Foundation to scrap the Golden Lion awards and replace them with public-vote “Visitor Lions,” with Israel and Russia again eligible. The report cites Adnkronos and Haaretz in describing Fainaru’s appeals to the Biennale, Italy’s Ministry of Culture, and the Prime Minister’s office, and notes a reported phone call with Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli in which he promised promotion of Fainaru’s work as part of an initiative against discrimination and antisemitism.

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