The Venice Biennale commenced on May 9, 2026, without the traditional Golden Lion awards, following the resignation of the jury in protest against the participation of Israel and Russia. Artists have also declined the Visitor Lion award in solidarity with the jury’s decision.
A joint statement from the artists, published on the e-flux art platform, noted, “As of May 9, 2026, we, the undersigned artists from the In Minor Keys collective, selected by Koyo, curator of the 61st Venice Biennale, alongside representatives of national pavilions, refuse to participate in the competition for the Visitor Lion award.” Over 50 artists endorsed this statement.
According to Associated Press, attendees at the Giardini and Arsenale exhibition sites will vote for the best national pavilion among 100 participants, as well as for the best participant in the main curated exhibition, In Minor Keys, styled after the Eurovision Song Contest. Voting will be conducted anonymously via email, with winners announced on the closing day, November 22.
On April 22, the international jury declared it would not consider awards for countries whose leaders have been accused of war crimes, a decision linked to the involvement of Russia and Israel. Following this, the entire jury, appointed by curator Koyo Kuo, resigned on April 30.
With the jury’s resignation and the shift to audience voting, previous restrictions have been lifted, allowing all countries, including Russia and Israel, to participate in the evaluation process.
The European Commissioner for Culture, Glenn Micallef, announced he would not attend the Biennale’s opening due to the presence of the Russian pavilion. Similarly, Italy’s Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuliani, cited the same reason for his absence.
Protests occurred on May 8, the day before the Biennale’s opening, with significant strikes and demonstrations leading to the temporary closure of some national pavilions. These actions were organized by cultural workers, artists, and activists in support of Palestine and against Israel’s participation.
Earlier in the week, members of the Ukrainian feminist group Femen and the Russian art activist group Pussy Riot staged a demonstration outside the pavilion, temporarily blocking access and using colored smoke and Ukrainian flags. They displayed banners with slogans such as “Defiance,” “Blood is the Art of Russia,” and “Art on Display, Graves Beneath It,” condemning the normalization of Russia’s presence in the international cultural sphere.
Additionally, the Russian pavilion was visited by Ukrainian cinematographer and serviceman Yuriy Gruzinov, who inspected the works while taking notes in a notebook labeled “List of Scoundrels 2026,” a phrase recently noted on the desk of Ukraine’s presidential office head, Kyrylo Budanov.
The Venice Biennale is one of the world’s most prestigious art forums, held biennially in Venice, Italy. It features thematic exhibitions of contemporary art and national pavilions, known for its innovative approaches and experimental nature as a vital platform for international artistic dialogue.
Koyo Kuo was selected as the curator for the 61st Venice Biennale, but she passed away in May 2025. The exhibition “In Minor Keys” opened as scheduled on May 9, with five advisors chosen by Kuo overseeing its execution: curators Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie-Hélène Pereira, and Rasha Salti, critic Siddhartha Mitter, and assistant Rory Tsapai. This decision was made in consultation with Kuo’s family.
Ukraine has participated in the Venice Biennale since 2001, presenting this year the project “Security Guarantees.” The central piece is a sculpture by Zhanna Kadyrova titled “Origami Deer,” which will be displayed in a public space on a crane over the lagoon.
The Venice Biennale has opened without its prestigious awards due to a jury resignation in protest against the participation of Israel and Russia. Artists have also withdrawn from the Visitor Lion competition, reflecting a significant shift in the event's dynamics amid ongoing protests.