Venice Biennale’s Kazakh Pavilion Roiled by Controversy after Artwork Fails to Make It on View
Kazakhstan’s pavilion at the Venice Biennale has been embroiled in controversy after artist Äsel Kadyrhanova’s multimedia installation Machine (2013), addressing Stalin-era repression in Kazakhstan, was reportedly dismantled before the exhibition opened. A May 21 open letter published on e-flux alleged the work was removed on May 5 on orders linked to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Culture or the pavilion’s organizers after negotiations with curator Syrlybek Bekbota broke down. The Italian venue, the Museo Storico Navale di Venezia, denied requesting the removal, while a contract dated February 26 between the venue’s manager D’Uva and the pavilion team includes a clause barring “political, ideological,” or “propagandistic” works and allows D’Uva to require amendment or removal of incompatible content. Bekbota said he ultimately decided to dismantle the work in its original form due to contractual and organizational risks, after proposing alterations such as displaying Stalin-related documents upside down.
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This story was covered in AI Art Wars and Museum Reckonings