Italy’s culture minister has called on government representatives on the Venice Biennale’s board to resign, as political controversy intensifies over Russia’s plans to reopen its pavilions at the Venice Biennale in May 2026.
Culture Minister Alessandro Giulio said in a statement this week that he had lost confidence in Tamara Gregotti, who has served on the biennale’s board since March 2024, accusing her of failing to alert the culture ministry of Russia’s possible participation. According to the ministry, Gregotti “did not consider it necessary to announce the possible participation of the Russian Federation in the next Biennale,” despite the international sensitivity of the issue.
Related articles
The controversy stems from last week’s announcement that Russia plans to reopen its national pavilion for the first time since 2019. tree rooted in skyorganized by curator Anastasia Karneeva, will feature more than 30 artists.
The Venice Biennale defended the decision when it announced its list of participating artists, saying the institution rejected “any form of exclusion or censorship of culture and art.” The organization added that even as geopolitical tensions persist, exhibitions should remain “a place for dialogue, openness and artistic freedom.”
The move quickly drew criticism across Europe. Earlier this week, 22 European culture ministers signed a letter urging biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco to reconsider Russia’s participation, warning that giving the country a prominent cultural platform could risk an image of normality while the war in Ukraine continues.
EU officials also weighed in. EU Technical Commissioner Henna Virkkunen and Culture Commissioner Glenn Micallef warned in a joint statement that the biennale’s decision could put around €2 million in EU funding at risk, calling the move “incompatible with the EU’s collective response to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine”.
Pressure also comes from within the cultural sector. An online petition titled “Stop the normalization of war crimes through art” has gathered more than 8,000 signatures, calling on artists and cultural workers to oppose the pavilion’s return.
Italian media reported that Gregoretti has so far shown no intention to resign. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture has asked the Biennale to urgently clarify how the Russian pavilion will be installed and managed, particularly in relation to the current sanctions regime.
