Anish Kapoor urges US exclusion from Venice Biennale
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- Anish Kapoor urged the US be excluded from the Venice Biennale, citing 'abhorrent politics of hate' and 'incessant warmongering' — while calling the jury's resignation over Israel and Russia 'courageous' but incomplete
- The five-member international jury resigned days before the opening, delaying the biennale's prize decisions until November
- The US entry Alma Allen — a formerly homeless artist — saw his selection delayed by the longest government shutdown in US history, with applicants told their work must 'reflect and promote American values'
- Art Not Genocide Alliance (Anga) organized a strike for Friday after 200+ participants signed a letter demanding the Israeli pavilion's cancellation, prompting Israel to accuse the group of 'anti-Israeli political indoctrination'
- The Italian ministry of culture confirmed the Russian pavilion won't open to the public, with the installation viewable only through windows — a reversal of the Biennale Foundation's decision the government had opposed
- The European Commission wrote to the Biennale Foundation saying it plans to terminate or suspend its €2m (£1.73m) grant because of Russia's involvement
- Kapoor previously threatened legal action against the Trump administration after border patrol agents posed for a photograph in front of his Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago, which he called 'fascist America'
Why it matters: The 61st Venice Biennale is absorbing simultaneous political blows — a jury resignation, a threatened artist strike, a closed Russian pavilion, and a €2m EU grant under threat — all before its public opening. Kapoor's escalation adds US selection-process scrutiny to the pile, given the pavilion was delayed by the government shutdown and applicants were instructed to 'reflect and promote American values.'
