A petition with over 600 signatures is protesting the selection of Prague-based artist Predrag Đaković to represent Serbia at the 2026 Venice Biennale with a project titled “Across Golgotha to Resurrection.” The petition, created by the ZUK Informal Art and Culture Collective, alleges that the selection process was unprofessional and non-transparent, and that commission members are closely linked to President Aleksandar Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). The announcement was reportedly made via Đaković’s Instagram rather than through official channels, and neither the artist nor Serbia’s Ministry of Culture has responded to requests for comment.
The controversy matters because it reflects a broader crisis in Serbia’s cultural and political landscape, including accusations of government repression, cuts to arts funding, and the targeting of artists. The petition comes amid massive student protests triggered by a deadly train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad, which have grown into a nationwide movement against the ruling party. The Venice Biennale pick is seen by critics as a symptom of the dismantling of visual art and cultural policy in Serbia, raising questions about artistic freedom and institutional integrity in the country.