Venice Biennale Pavilions Shut Over Israel Protest Strike
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- Art Not Genocide Alliance (Anga) organized the strike, claiming more than 20 pavilions would shutter in protest of Israel's inclusion; about a dozen actually closed or partially closed on Friday.
- The Belgian, Dutch, Austrian, Japanese, Macedonian and Korean pavilions closed for the full day, with the Austrian entry's standout work staying shut all day, while the British, Spanish, French, Egyptian, Finnish and Luxembourg entries either closed and reopened or were expected to close early at around 4pm.
- The British pavilion posted a sign blaming an "Italian cultural workers' strike" for its closure, then reopened Saturday once extra staff were found, fueling confusion among visitors.
- Artists in the main show In Minor Keys added Palestine references to their work, with Tabita Rezaire hanging Palestinian flags and several pavilions displaying posters reading "Palestine is the future of the world" and "We stand with Palestine."
- The Golden Lion jury resigned en masse before the event, stating they would not consider entries from countries whose leaders face international arrest warrants — a stance that would have excluded both Russia and Israel.
- The Russian pavilion was forced to temporarily close on Wednesday after activist group Pussy Riot staged a protest against Russia's inclusion, and the UK government refused to send a minister to open the British pavilion, confirming it was because Russia was allowed at the event.
Why it matters: The 2026 Venice Biennale opens to the public Saturday with its award process already gutted — the Golden Lion jury quit in protest, roughly a dozen national pavilions shuttered, and the UK is diplomatically boycotting — meaning the world's most prestigious art event is staging its prizes without a jury while geopolitical disputes over Gaza and Russia dominate every national entry.
