Vasari Art Codex

article culture schedule Oct 21, 2025 visibility 6 link 9 artists, 1 gallery

When is art sacred? A Jesuit artist on what makes the absurd, the abstract and the ordinary holy

The article is a first-person reflection by Jesuit artist Nick Leeper on the 2024 Biennale d'Art Contemporain Sacré in Menton, France. Leeper describes entering the Grand Hôtel des Ambassadeurs expecting a traditional sacred art show but finding instead a mix of abstract sculptures, Venetian glassworks, and works by Man Ray, alongside more conventional religious pieces. The biennale, founded in 2019 by Liana Marabini, features 180 artists from 29 countries exploring the theme of "forgiveness," including major names like Damien Hirst, Yayoi Kusama, and Gerhard Richter, as well as artists from religious orders. Leeper recounts how visitors at the opening asked what makes such diverse works sacred.

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article news schedule May 6, 2026 visibility 2 link 10 artists, 1 gallery

In Protest of Israeli Pavilion, Activists and Unions Plan Strike on Venice Biennale’s Opening Day

The Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) has announced a 24-hour strike and rally on May 8, the day before the 2026 Venice Biennale opens to the public, in protest of the Israeli Pavilion. ANGA, formed in opposition to Israel's inclusion in the 2024 Biennale, refers to the current Israeli presentation—featuring Haifa-based artist Belu-Simion Fainaru—as the "Genocide Pavilion." Over 200 artists, curators, and culture workers have signed an open letter demanding Israel's exclusion, and a separate action called Solidarity Drone Chorus involved 60 artists. ANGA is collaborating with local labor and culture organizations including Biennalocene, Vogliamo Tutt'altro, S.a.L.E. Docks, and Mi Riconosci.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Mar 17, 2026 source 5 sources visibility 11 link 1 artist

Open Letter Published by Activist Group Calling for Venice Biennale to Eject Israel Signed by Nearly 200 Participating Artists and Curators

An activist group called Art Not Genocide Alliance has published an open letter demanding the Venice Biennale eject Israel from this year's exhibition. The letter has been signed by nearly 200 artists, curators, and arts workers participating in the 2026 Biennale, including members of the main exhibition's curatorial team and contributors to several national pavilions. The letter accuses Israel of genocide and apartheid, and references the 2024 Biennale where Israel's pavilion remained closed due to similar protests.

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person people schedule Dec 10, 2025 visibility 4 link 1 gallery

yokohama triennale 2027 curators 1234766051

Japan’s Yokohama Triennale has appointed Cosmin Costinaș and Inti Guerrero as co-artistic directors for its 9th edition, opening at the Yokohama Museum of Art on April 23, 2027. Costinaș, a Romanian writer and critic currently senior curator at Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin, will become a curatorial adviser there at year’s end. Guerrero, from Bogotá, is a professor at City University in Hong Kong. The duo previously co-directed the 2024 Biennale of Sydney and the 2018 Dak’Art Biennale, and have collaborated on several other projects. They were selected from 22 candidates by a six-person international committee.

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museum exhibitions schedule Feb 4, 2026 visibility 7 link 6 artists, 1 gallery

Five artists announced for India's Venice Biennale pavilion

India is returning to the Venice Biennale after a seven-year hiatus with a national pavilion in the Arsenale. The presentation, titled 'Geographies of Distance: Remembering Home,' will feature five artists: Alwar Balasubramaniam (Bala), Sumakshi Singh, Ranjani Shettar, Asim Waqif, and Skarma Sonam Tashi. The exhibition is curated by Amin Jaffer and is backed by India's Ministry of Culture and two cultural institutions.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 13, 2026 visibility 3

data dive venice biennale artists 2450374

Adriano Pedrosa, the first Latin American and openly queer curator of the Venice Biennale, has unveiled a record-breaking artist list for the 60th edition titled "Foreigners Everywhere." Featuring 331 artists, the main exhibition is the largest in the event's history and introduces a "nucleo storico" designed to provide belated recognition to overlooked figures from the Global South and marginalized communities. Pedrosa’s selection process intentionally challenges the Western-centric traditions of the art world by focusing on themes of displacement and the "stranger."

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article policy schedule Mar 27, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 14

Members of European Parliament call on EU to pull Venice Biennale funding over Russian participation

At least 34 Members of the European Parliament have signed a letter demanding the suspension of all EU funding to the Venice Biennale Foundation if Russia's participation proceeds. The letter, addressed to top EU officials, argues that allowing a state under extensive sanctions to participate in an EU-funded event contradicts the bloc's values and weakens its credibility.

newspaper The Art Newspaper Also: ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article news schedule May 6, 2026 visibility 1 link 4 artists

How the Venice Biennale imploded over Israel

The 61st Venice Biennale, scheduled to open on May 9, has been thrown into turmoil after its International Jury announced that national pavilions and artists representing countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court will not be eligible for prizes. This excludes Israel, represented by sculptor Belu-Simion Fainaru, and Russia from competing for the Golden Lion. The decision follows an open letter signed by hundreds of artists and curators demanding Israel's exclusion over the war in Gaza, and comes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, including Russia's absence from previous editions after its invasion of Ukraine. The Biennale's theme, 'In Minor Keys,' curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, aimed to focus on dignity and listening to marginalized voices, but the prize ban has sparked accusations that identity politics are overshadowing artistic merit.

newspaper The Spectator open_in_new Read original