Russia will return to the 61st Venice Biennale with its national pavilion, but the exhibition will only be physically open to the press and select guests during the vernissage dates of May 5–8. From May 9 onward, the pavilion will remain closed to the public, with multimedia documentation of performances displayed on screens at the windows. The arrangement follows leaked emails among Biennale Foundation President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, General Director Andrea Del Mercato, and Russian Pavilion Commissioner Anastasia Karneeva, revealing efforts to comply with EU sanctions while still allowing Russia's participation after two consecutive absences since its invasion of Ukraine.
The controversy matters because it highlights the ongoing tension between international cultural diplomacy and sanctions enforcement in the art world. The Biennale Foundation insists it acted in full compliance with EU laws, but the decision has drawn intense criticism, calls for boycotts, and a formal EU warning about funding. Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli has refused to attend the opening and demanded documents to verify compliance. Additionally, the Biennale's international awards jury has barred countries whose leaders face ICC charges—effectively excluding Russia and Israel—from prize consideration, underscoring how geopolitical conflicts increasingly shape major art events.