Protest at Venice Biennale as Russia Returns
The Russian punk protest group Pussy Riot and Femen, an organization founded in Ukraine, jointly staged a notable protest at the 61st Venice Biennale, marking Russia's return to the prestigious arts fair for the first time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The activists entered the Biennale gardens—often referred to as the 'Olympics' of the arts—shouting their protest outside the Russian national pavilion. They were dressed entirely in black except for fluorescent pink balaclavas.
As security personnel attempted to close the glass doors, the protesters ignited smoke flares and shouted slogans such as "Russia kills! Biennale exhibits!".
One poster displayed the message: "Curated by Putin, dead bodies included."
"They're drinking vodka and champagne in their pavilion, soaked in the blood of Ukrainian children," Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolokonnikova said, asserting that Russia's effort to participate in the high-profile event was part of its hybrid warfare.
"It's not just tanks and drones, murder and rape in Ukraine. It's also culture, art, language…it's the way [Russia] tries to conquer the West and you guys just opened the doors to them."
Controversy Over Russia’s Reinstatement
Concerns about Russia's reinstatement arose immediately after Moscow announced its return earlier this year.
The European Commission has "strongly condemned" the decision and threatened to withdraw €2 million in funding from the Biennale, arguing that "Allowing the aggressor, Russia, to shine" on such a platform violates ethical standards associated with the grant.
Italy's culture minister has announced they will not attend the public opening of the fair on Saturday.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, known for visiting Red Square in 2014 wearing a Putin T-shirt, declined to support the boycott, stating, "No pavilion should be excluded."
A source in Brussels indicated that the European Commission was dissatisfied with Italy's response.
Additional Disputes at the Biennale
The unrest surrounding the 61st Biennale extends beyond Russia's return.
Last week, the entire international jury resigned following a statement that referenced countries with leaders wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes, specifically naming Russia and Israel.
On Wednesday morning, another group of protesters targeted the Israeli exhibit, leaving the floor outside covered with rain-soaked leaflets denouncing it as a "Genocide Pavilion."
Israel's foreign ministry has previously criticized what it called a "political jury," accusing the Biennale of becoming a venue for "anti-Israeli political indoctrination."
Biennale Leadership Responds to Criticism
As tensions escalated, the event's president remained largely silent. Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, a right-wing former journalist who has previously expressed admiration for Vladimir Putin, broke his silence to condemn critics.
"If the Biennale began to select not works but affiliations, not visions but passports, it would cease to be what it has always been: the place where the world meets," Buttafuoco stated before leaving the press conference without taking questions.
He accused critics of fostering a "laboratory of intolerance" and condemned calls to ban Russia and Israel as forms of censorship and exclusion.
His position overlooks messages displayed on posters throughout Venice this week, which advertise fictional events at an "Invisible Biennale" featuring Ukrainian artists and authors such as Volodymyr Vakulenko, who was killed when Russian troops occupied his village.
The posters bear the stamp: "Cancelled. Because the author was killed by Russia."
National Pavilions and Soft Power
The Biennale's canal-side gardens host numerous national pavilions that serve as showcases for their respective countries. For all participants, especially autocratic states like Russia, the biennial exhibition represents a significant opportunity to exert soft power.
In 2022, curators at the Russian pavilion withdrew in protest against the invasion of Ukraine. Two years later, the building was loaned to Bolivia. This year, however, a Russian team occupied the space, presenting an upside-down tree and experimental sound performances.
"This is our house, we come to our place," said Anastasia Karneeva, the pavilion's official commissioner, when asked about Russia's presence at the Biennale amid its invasion of Ukraine.
"I don't think about the protests. I am very busy," she added, dismissing further questions.
Karneeva is the daughter of the deputy head of Rostec, Russia's large state weapons manufacturer, which is under sanctions. She declined to discuss this connection.
"Can we stop this conversation? Thank you," she said.
Partial Return and Pavilion Closure
Russia's participation in the Biennale is limited: after pre-opening events earlier in the week, the pavilion will close. It remains unclear whether this is due to protests or the effects of sanctions.
The performances are being recorded for public screening outside the pavilion, allowing the sound to carry a few meters toward Ukraine's own Biennale contribution.
Ukraine’s Contribution and Symbolism
Near the main entrance, a sculpture of an origami deer cast in concrete is suspended by thick straps from a crane.
This work by Ukrainian artist Zhanna Kadyrova was initially installed in Pokrovsk, eastern Donbas, when the frontline with Russian forces was nearly 40 kilometers away.
By 2024, Kadyrova had to evacuate the piece to protect it from occupation.
"We have a destroyed city that does not exist now. I hope this message is clear and people who visit Biennale can understand it," Kadyrova said in a recent interview at her Kyiv studio.
The deer has become a potent symbol of displacement, reflecting the experience of millions of Ukrainians.
"Pokrovsk [is] now an occupied city. A lot of people were killed there. But we saved this artefact. The question is how many artefacts were not saved in this war? How many other kinds of heritage were destroyed?"
"This was a lively city. And it does not exist now because Russia came."
Additional reporting by Davide Ghiglione.
