Venice’s Mayor Warns That Russia’s Pavilion Will Be Closed If It Peddles Propaganda at Biennale
ARTnews reports that Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro warned Russia that its pavilion at the upcoming Venice Biennale will be closed if it engages in propaganda. Brugnaro made the remarks at the opening of the newly renovated Central Pavilion (a €31 million project completed in 16 months), amid controversy over Russia reopening its pavilion for the first time since invading Ukraine four years ago. Russia’s pavilion will present a folklore and world-music program involving more than 50 musicians, poets, and philosophers, curated by Anastasia Karneeva, according to President Vladimir Putin’s cultural envoy Mikhail Shvydkoy, who spoke to ARTnews on March 3. Biennale organizers said they have complied with sanctions imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and reject “exclusion or censorship,” while tensions increased after the EU indicated it could withdraw funding if Russia participates and Italian culture minister Alessandro Giuli demanded documentation and called for the resignation of ministry representative Tamara Gregoretti.
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This story was covered in Biennale Brinkmanship and AI’s Ethical Abyss