The world’s most important art festival is imploding over Russia and Israel | CNN

When the world’s most prestigious international art exhibition, the Venice Biennale, opens next week, it will do so amid a series of crises. It will not receive its customary blessing from Italy’s minister of culture Alessandro Giuili who, along with a growing number of people and organizations, is furious over Russia’s return to the event during its war with Ukraine. More than 200 participating artists, curators and workers signed an open letter last month demanding the Venice Biennale exclude Israel’s pavilion over human rights abuses in Gaza. Another letter followed, which included the United States for its war in Iran. Most recently, after its five-person jury abruptly resigned on Thursday, the Biennale’s illustrious awards program will be replaced by two Visitors’ Prizes, with voting open to members of the public who attend the official exhibitions. Now in its 61st edition, the Biennale is a massive, global presentation of contemporary art from 99 nations, exhibited largely in permanent national pavilions dotted around Venice’s Giardini della Biennale. The Biennale typically offers a series of juried Gold and Silver Lions for both winning pavilions and individual

May 1, 2026 → May 2, 2026