Venice Biennale Jury Resigns Over Russia, Israel Award Ban
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- Venice Biennale jury resigned en masse on Thursday, days before the May 9 opening, a week after announcing a ban on awards for artists from Russia and Israel.
- The five-member panel, led by Brazilian curator Solange Farkas, said it would not consider works from countries whose leaders face ICC arrest warrants—citing Vladimir Putin over Ukraine and Benjamin Netanyahu over Gaza.
- Israeli sculptor Belu Simion Fainaru, showing at Venice, accused the jury of racial discrimination and threatened legal action over the snub.
- Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco refused to back down on readmitting Russia, calling the festival 'a space of coexistence for the whole planet' without censorship.
- The European Commission threatened to terminate or suspend a €2 million ($2.3 million) grant if the Russian pavilion is reopened this year.
- Italy's Culture Ministry dispatched inspectors to Venice on Wednesday to look for bureaucratic errors that could justify rescinding Russia's invitation.
- Organizers introduced a first-ever visitor-vote award open to all artists including Russia and Israel, and pushed the award ceremony from opening week to November.
Why it matters: The mass resignation leaves the prestigious Golden and Silver Lion awards with no jury and no stated replacement, days before the world's most-watched contemporary art event opens. A €2 million ($2.3 million) EU grant now hangs on whether Russia's pavilion stays open, pitting President Buttafuoco's 'no censorship' stance against both Rome's inspectors and Brussels.
