Bare-breasted activists protested at the Venice Biennale on May 6, incensed over the return of Russia to the prestigious art festival for the first time since the Ukrainian war broke out.
The world’s largest contemporary art exhibition, which takes place every two years in the Italian canal city, has been hit by resignations, boycotts and threats to cut funding over Russia’s inclusion.
Wearing pink balaclavas, baring their breasts and setting off pink smoke bombs, Ukrainian feminist collective Femen and Russian protest punk band Pussy Riot demonstrated outside the Russian pavilion at the start of Wednesday’s press previews.
“We are here to remind that the only Russian culture, the only Russian art today is blood,” Femen activist Inna Shevchenko told reporters.
“This pavilion stands on Ukrainian mass graves,” she said, adding that it was the first time the two groups had staged a joint protest.
Russia’s inclusion for the first time since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine sparked outrage from Italy’s government and the European Union, which threatened to cut two million euros ($2.3 million) in funding from the Biennale.
The Biennale jury last week resigned after saying they would not hand out awards to countries led by figures subject to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), meaning Russia and Israel.
In the end, the Russian pavilion will not be open to the public during the Biennale, which runs through Nov. 22.
About a hundred pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in front of Israel’s pavilion on Wednesday, holding up banners saying “No art washing genocide.”
Russia’s ambassador to Italy, Aleksei Paramonov, said the live performances would not be allowed beyond the press previews because of the sanctions.
Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli has from the outset expressed Rome’s opposition to Russia’s inclusion, and said he would not be going to Venice.
As a result of the jury’s resignation and the “exceptional nature of the ongoing international geopolitical situation,” organizers have postponed the award ceremony from May 9 to Nov. 22, the last day of the exhibition.
The Biennale said it would hand out two awards, in which visitors can vote, one of which can be won by any national participant, including Russia.
International women’s movement FEMEN and Pussy Riot activists stage a protest in front of the Russian pavilion on May 6 in Venice.
