Italian Culture Minister Will Not Attend Venice Biennale Opening in Protest of Russia’s Participation
ARTnews reported that Italian culture minister Alessandro Giuli will not attend the Venice Biennale preview or opening ceremony on May 9 in protest of Russia’s return via its national pavilion, which reopens after the country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Russian Pavilion’s reopening was approved by Venice Biennale director Pietrangelo Buttafuoco and has prompted political and cultural backlash in Italy, including Giuli’s call for the ministry’s board representative, Tamara Gregoretti, to resign; she refused and reiterated support for Moscow’s participation, while Matteo Salvini also backed Russia’s inclusion. The European Union said earlier this month it intended to cut funding to the Biennale—reportedly €2 million per edition—over the decision, and EU Commission vice president Kaja Kallas called Russia’s inclusion “morally wrong,” citing more than 15,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine. Ukraine has sanctioned five individuals linked to the Russian pavilion and sought visa revocations, while dozens of artists in the main exhibition signed an open letter demanding the exclusion of Russia, Israel, and the United States; Biennale organizers rejected those demands but the jury said it would not consider for awards countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, effectively excluding Russia and Israel.
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This story was covered in Basel Clamps Down as A.I. Rewires Art