The Italian Ministry of Culture has announced that the decision for Russia to participate in the 61st Venice Biennale was made independently by the Biennale Foundation, despite the Italian government’s opposition.
According to a statement from the Ministry, Russia’s involvement in the exhibition was a fully autonomous decision by the Biennale Foundation, which contrasts with the Italian government’s stance. Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuliani had previously emphasized the need to protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage, particularly supporting the restoration of significant cultural sites such as the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral in Odesa, which has suffered extensive damage due to Russian bombardments.
The Italian government has indicated that it will continue to collaborate with Ukraine to restore cultural heritage affected during the Russian invasion, providing funding and expert support for restoration efforts.
As reported by Ksenia Malykh on Radio Culture, the participation of Russian artists in the Biennale has drawn criticism and protests from the Ukrainian community and international cultural organizations, as it is perceived as legitimizing Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Malykh noted that the Biennale organizers clarified they do not make political decisions regarding the participation of states.
“The Biennale issued an official comment stating that this is not their decision. They do not make decisions regarding the participation of countries recognized by Italy. If Italy recognizes a state, then it may participate in the Venice Biennale,” Malykh stated.
This marks Russia’s first participation in the Venice Biennale since 2022, one of the most influential art events globally. The list of national pavilions published on the exhibition’s website includes the Russian project titled The Tree is Rooted in the Sky.
On March 2, Mikhail Shvydkoy, Russia’s representative for international cultural exchanges and former Minister of Culture, confirmed to ArtNews that the Russian pavilion will open in May 2026.
The Italian Ministry of Culture has confirmed that Russia's participation in the Venice Biennale is an independent decision of the Biennale Foundation, despite governmental opposition. This has sparked criticism from Ukrainian and international cultural organizations.