Italy culture minister to boycott Venice Biennale over Russian pavilion
Italy’s culture minister will not attend the Venice Biennale (Photo: alessandrogiulireal/Instagram)
Italy’s culture minister Alessandro Giuli will boycott the opening of the Venice Biennale on May 9 due to the presence of a Russian pavilion, Italy’s Culture Ministry said.
“Minister Alessandro Giuli will not visit Venice in the days leading up to the opening of the 61st Venice Biennale, nor will he take part in the opening ceremony scheduled for May 9,” the ministry said in a statement.
Russia’s participation in the exhibition was a fully autonomous decision by the Biennale Foundation, despite the Italian government’s opposing position, the ministry said earlier.
Giuli has also called for the resignation of government representative Tamara Gregoretti from the Venice Biennale board over Russia’s return to the exhibition.
The jury of the exhibition said it has excluded Russia and Israel from competing for the main awards and will not visit their pavilions.
The Venice Biennale will run from May 9 to Nov. 22, 2026.
Russia will open its national pavilion for the first time since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a move opposed by the governments of 22 European countries. They signed a joint protest against Russia’s participation and submitted it to Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco and Italy’s culture minister.
Thirty-seven members of the European Parliament have also urged the European Commission to suspend €2 million in funding over Russia’s participation and to consider restrictive measures against individuals linked to the Russian pavilion.
“Trust in the European Union will be undermined” if it does not prevent Russia’s participation, lawmakers said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree enacting a National Security and Defense Council decision to impose sanctions on five Russian cultural figures linked to the pavilion.
Among them is Anastasia Karneeva, who has served as the pavilion’s commissioner since 2021 and will represent Russia this year. She is the daughter of Nikolai Volobuyev, a retired general and deputy director of one of Russia’s largest defense corporations, Rostec.
Ukraine has also called on Italy to deny visas to Russian participants in the Biennale.
European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas recently said the EU would reduce funding for the Biennale, calling Russia’s participation “morally wrong.”
The Biennale has 30 days to respond and explain why the Russian pavilion was allowed to open, European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said. If the response is unsatisfactory, the Commission intends to suspend or terminate the grant.
Latvia’s culture minister Agnese Lace said she would boycott the opening on May 9 if Russia takes part and initiated a joint statement calling for Russia’s exclusion from the Biennale, which was signed by 25 countries.
Finnish government officials have also said they will not attend the exhibition if organizers proceed with the Russian pavilion.
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