Originally published by Euronews
For the first time, Biennale workers went on strike on Friday over Russia’s and Israel’s presence at the kermesse, with twenty pavilions closed on the eve of the public opening.
The 61st Venice Biennale International Art Exhibitionopens on Saturday, 9 May. The kermesse opened its doors in a climate of exceptional political pressure that turned the last day of pre-opening into a marathon of protests.
The Biennale will remain open to the public until the end of November 2026, but its opening was marred by tensions reflecting the current global rifts between ongoing conflicts and social demands.
Around two thousand people gathered on Friday afternoon along Via Garibaldi to take part in what was described as the first workers’ strike in the history of the Biennale called by numerous trade unions and collectives.
The procession headed forcefully towards the Arsenale to contest the presence of the Israeli pavilion, which the demonstrators dubbed the ‘genocide pavilion’ in reference to the ongoing military operations in Gaza.
Critical moments occurred at the height of the Campo della Tana where the police’s rapid response unit came into contact with the demonstrators who were trying to force their way through the security blocks to reach the armoured exhibition venues.
European funds and mobilisation against Russian pavilion
The temporary reopening of the Russia pavilion added a further layer of institutional complexity after the Pussy Riot collective staged highly symbolic disruptive actions in recent days.
The European Union reacted firmly to the reopening, threatening once again to withdraw funding for the event if the Venetian cultural showcase is used to legitimise the Kremlin’s positions.
After days of discussion, the Biennale informed that the pavilion will remain closed for the duration of the event and it will only be possible to peek at the works through the windows.
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This financial pressure from Brussels puts the budget of the event at risk as the Commission demands consistency between the management of the exhibition and the international sanctions in place against Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine.
The impact of Friday’s strike was visible through the closure of some twenty national pavilions that chose to suspend operations in solidarity with the anti-Israel protest.
Nations that joined in Friday’s total or partial closure included Austria, Belgium, Spain, the UK and Turkey as well as countries such as Finland and Ireland that left their doors shut during the hot hours of the mobilisation.
The ANGA collective emphasised that this decision is not just a form of protest butarejection of complicity with the political and economic structures that support contemporary cultural production in times of war.
Matteo Salvini’s visit
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini arrived at the Giardini on Friday afternoon, calling his presence a hymn to Venice and to art beyond any form of political boycott. Salvini openly declared that fortunately art is free and that he was there to put his brick in the wall to end controversies that should not involve a foundation such as the Biennale.
Regarding the clashes with the police, the minister commented that beating up policemen for the Palestinian cause ‘accomplishes nothing’, adding that these protesters were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The day ended with Salvini also visiting the Russian pavilion where he was gratefully received by Commissioner Anastasia Karneeva. “The Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvinigave us a wonderful surpriseand we thank him: his visit gave us great pleasure,’’ Karneeva said.
Minister Giuli boycotts the opening
The Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli had a bitter clash with the organisation and decided to boycott the opening of the Biennale.In recent days he has announced that he will visit the Italian pavilion ’to honour Italian art and Italy’, but it is not clear whether a meeting with Biennial president Pierangelo Buttafuoco is planned.
The minister said he had written to Buttafuoco after the controversy that arose over the opening of the Russian pavilion but had not received a reply. “I wrote him my respectful dissent and received no reply. So we stayed, but now we look ahead,’ Giuli said.
On Friday, the inauguration of the Italian pavilion, organised by the Ministry of Culture, took place in an institutional desert, revealing the rift between Giuli and Buttafuoco.
While the national headquarters remained unrepresented, politicians attended the opening of the Venice pavilion, among them Salvini, the mayor of Venice Luigi Brugnaro and the president of the regional council Luca Zaia, who showed support for the president of the Biennale.
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