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3d ago

Venice Biennale Jury Quits as Organizers Replace Golden Lions With Public Vote

The move signals a bid for inclusion under mounting political and funding pressure.

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A view shows the Pavilion of Russia on a press day at the 59th Venice Art Biennale in Venice on April 20, 2022. - Russia will not have a pavilion at this year's Biennale, after the country's organizers at the event protested their leadership's decision to invade Ukraine. (Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP) (Photo by VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Images)
The Israeli and US Pavilions pictured during during the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024.
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Overview

  • The five-member international jury resigned Thursday, prompting organizers to scrap the Golden and Silver Lions and create two visitor-voted awards to be announced on November 22.
  • The panel had said on April 22 it would not consider pavilions from countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court charges, a stance widely read to target Russia and Israel.
  • La Biennale said all official national pavilions remain eligible for the new prizes, and Russia’s pavilion will limit access to media-only preview days as a sanctions workaround.
  • The European Commission cut about €2 million in grant funding over Russia’s readmission, and Italy’s culture minister sent inspectors and will not attend the opening.
  • Preview days begin May 5 and the public opening is May 9, with work from roughly 99 to 100 countries presented under the late Koyo Kouoh’s ‘In Minor Keys’ framework.