Venice Biennale opening marked by protests

The 2026 Venice Biennale opened for professionals on Tuesday to a series of protests, with more scheduled to take place throughout the week. This follows a highly politicised lead-up to the exhibition’s opening, amid calls for boycott of the Russian, Israeli and US pavilions, the EU cutting its funding over Russia’s participation, and the resignation of the Biennale jury last week.

Yesterday, a group of around 60 artists participating in the Biennale exhibition In Minor Keys gathered at noon in front of the entrance to the Giardini for a collective action titled Solidarity Drone Chorus. Inspired by Gazan composer Ahmed Muin’s Drone Song, the artists walked to the central pavilion while humming or playing the recorded sound of a drone in order to ‘sonically occupy the space’, according to press materials. The action ‘seeks to draw attention to the plight of those affected by genocide and war in Palestine and elsewhere – and the impunity afforded to those perpetrating it.’ It will be repeated every day at noon in different locations across Venice until 8 May.

The Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA), alongside local trade unions and cultural organisations, have organised a 24-hour strike to take place this Friday 8 May. Artists and cultural workers will withhold their labour in protest of Israel’s participation in the Biennale. A demonstration will take place at 4:30pm on the Viale Garibaldi. It follows a protest outside of the Arsenale today, Wednesday 6 May, where a group chanted, held banners and dispersed flyers reading ‘Death in Venice. No to the Genocide pavilion’.

This morning, the Russian performance art collective Pussy Riot staged a protest outside the Russian pavilion. Wearing their signature pink balaclavas, the group deployed smoke flares and led chants against Russia’s participation. Speaking to the press, founding member Nadya Tolokonnikova said that ‘‘it’s surprising to me that Europe still opens doors for Russian propaganda… if Venice biennale really cared about censorship in terms of Russian artists they would work with artists who are currently incarcerated for supporting Ukraine’’. On their Instagram, the group shared a call for action to take place on 7 May in front of the Chiesa Parrochiale di San Moise. The post reads: ‘while Russia wages its aggressive war in Ukraine, it shouldn’t be allowed at Venice biennale’.

The national pavilion of Latvia, alongside the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, have also launched a protest campaign against Russia’s participation in the Biennale. It invites anyone going to the exhibition to print and wear a freely available design by artist Krišs Salmanis that reads ‘Death in Venice – Russia go home!’

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