Venice Bound? Here’s All the News You Need to Know About This Year’s Biennale
Artnet outlines major controversies surrounding the Venice Biennale’s next cycle, focusing on Russia’s planned return in 2026 and the resulting political backlash. Italian culture minister Alessandro Giuli pledged to boycott the Biennale’s opening week, while nearly 10,000 artists, cultural leaders, academics, and policymakers signed an open letter urging organizers to reaffirm the institution’s ethical principles. In April, the European Union withdrew €2 million ($2.3 million) in funding for the 2028 edition, reiterating that art should not be used as propaganda and that EU member states must act in line with EU sanctions. The article reports leaked emails indicating Biennale officials, including president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, worked since January with Russian pavilion commissioner Anastasia Karneeva on a strategy to allow participation without violating sanctions, despite criticism over her family link to defense contractor Rostec via her father, deputy chief executive Nikolay Volobuyev.
From This Briefing
This story was covered in Sanctions, Scandals, and Venice’s Market Fever