Venice Biennale jury resigns against participation of Russia and Israel
Key takeaways
- The Biennale did not give a reason for the move, which marks a dramatic escalation in a dispute that has thrown one of the world’s most prestigious contemporary art events into turmoil days before its May 9 opening.
- The Italian government has been highly critical of the decision while the European Commission has said it will terminate or suspend a 2 million euro ($2.3 million) grant if the Russian pavilion is reopened this year.
- Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco has refused to back down, saying the festival was “a space of coexistence for the whole planet” without censorship.
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Add ARY News on Google ROME: The entire jury of the Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition has resigned, organisers said on Thursday, a week after the panel announced it would not hand out awards to artists from Russia or Israel.
The Biennale did not give a reason for the move, which marks a dramatic escalation in a dispute that has thrown one of the world’s most prestigious contemporary art events into turmoil days before its May 9 opening.
The five-strong jury, headed by Brazilian curator Solange Farkas, said last week that “in the defence of human rights” it would not consider works from countries whose leaders face charges at the International Criminal Court.