Jury of the Venice Biennale Resigns

The entire jury of the Venice Biennale, appointed by artistic director Koyo Kouoh, has resigned with immediate effect. In a statement released on Thursday, the jury members—including chair Solange Oliveira Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi—cited a prior declaration from April 22 in which they announced they would not award Golden or Silver Lions to artists from countries whose political leadership is currently indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity. Although no specific countries were named, the move implicitly targets Russia (President Vladimir Putin) and Israel (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu), both subject to ICC arrest warrants. The resignation comes amid escalating tensions over Russia's participation in the Biennale despite EU sanctions, which had already led to a freeze of EU funding and widespread protests.

This resignation matters because it throws the Venice Biennale—one of the world's most prestigious art exhibitions—into a major institutional crisis just weeks before its opening on May 9. The jury's principled stand on human rights and geopolitical accountability challenges the Biennale's traditional neutrality and exposes deep divisions over how art institutions should respond to international conflicts. The crisis also highlights the growing pressure on cultural events to take political stances, particularly regarding Russia's war in Ukraine and the Israel-Gaza conflict. The outcome could reshape the Biennale's governance and set a precedent for how major art events navigate the intersection of art, politics, and human rights.