The 61st Venice Biennale opened in an atmosphere of tension unseen for decades. On Friday, May 8, the day before the public opening, nearly 3,000 demonstrators gathered on Via Garibaldi, between the Arsenale and the Giardiniera, at the call of the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA). Artists, curators, and cultural workers waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans such as "No art washing!" and "Stop al Padiglione genocidio" (Stop the Genocide Pavilion), demanding the exclusion of the Israeli pavilion. This was unprecedented since the 1968 protests, according to Beaux Arts Magazine. That same day, a dozen national pavilions closed their doors, some for the entire day, others only partially: Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Japan, Macedonia, and Korea remained closed all day; France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Finland, Egypt, and Luxembourg closed or reopened depending on staff availability.
A jury that resigned, hidden works, Pussy Riot against Russia
This day of strike action is part of a broader context of protest. On April 30, the Biennale jury, responsible for awarding the Gold and Silver Lions, resigned en masse, refusing to consider applications from countries whose leaders are subject to international arrest warrants, which effectively excluded Israel and Russia. On May 6, the Pussy Riot collective, joined by members of Femen, staged a flash protest in front of the Russian pavilion, forcing its temporary closure. Within the Biennale itself, dozens of artworks were deliberately obscured by their creators, who affixed leaflets, posters, and slogans about Gaza. Tabita Rezaire hung a Palestinian flag on her piece, and several pavilions displayed the message: "Palestine is the future of the world." The British government, for its part, refused to send a minister to the inauguration of its pavilion, citing Russia's presence in the Giardiniera.
Cultural workers mobilized despite the pressure
Among the protesters, many Biennale employees had joined the movement despite various "injunctions and intimidation" from their employer, according to Beaux Arts Magazine. Representatives of small unions spoke to applause, denouncing "artwashing" and "the legitimization of war criminals." In March, Anga had sent a letter to the Biennale's governing bodies, signed by more than 200 people, including about 100 represented artists and 40 curators; it had gone unanswered.
Community
Comments
Comments are open, but protected against spam. Initial posts and comments containing links undergo manual review.
Be the first to comment on this article.