Venice Biennale does not accept appeals against Israel and Iran: we exclude no one

The Venice Biennale will not exclude Israel and Iran from the 2024 edition of the major international exhibition. Falling on deaf ears, then, are the appeals launched against the two countries that have come to the attention of the news in recent hours: the first, promoted by a group calling itself the “Art Not Genocide Alliance,” called for the exclusion of Israel for what is happening in Gaza, while the second demanded the removal of Iran for its repressive policies against women, students, and artists.

No way: the Biennale will not exclude anyone. “Regarding the participation in the International Art Exhibition of countries present in the Pavilions at the Giardini, at the Arsenale and in the city,” reads a note sent yesterday, “La Biennale di Venezia specifies that all countries recognized by the Republic of Italy can in total autonomy request to officially participate. Consequently, the Biennale cannot consider any petition or request to exclude the presence of Israel or Iran from the upcoming 60th International Art Exhibition (April 20-November 24, 2024).”

As for Russia ’s non-participation in 2022, the Biennale recalled “that the closure of the Russia Pavilion at the 59. International Art Exhibition 2022 was decided by the Commissioner and Curator appointed by the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, who informed that it will not participate in the upcoming 60th International Art Exhibition.” The Russian issue is actually more subtle, since although the Biennale did not take exclusionary measures against the Russia pavilion in 2022 since it was the participants who decided independently not to participate, later, on March 2 of the same year, through an official note the Biennale decided to reject “any form of collaboration with those who have [...] implemented or support an act of aggression of unprecedented gravity [ed., the war in Ukraine], and will therefore not accept the presence at its events of official delegations, institutions and personalities in any capacity linked to the Russian government.”

Finally, “With reference to mentioned exclusions of applications for Collateral Event of the 60th Exhibition, it is clarified that out of 72 eligible projects, two involved the participation of Palestinian artists, one of which was included among the 30 Collateral Events approved by Curator Adriano Pedrosa, in total autonomy and at his sole artistic discretion.” The Biennale was then keen to point out that “there are also Palestinian artists in the 60th International Exhibition curated by Adriano Pedrosa, as reflected in the list of Participants released by the Biennale on January 31, 2024.”

Venice Biennale does not accept appeals against Israel and Iran: we exclude no one

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