The five-member international jury of the 61st Venice Biennale, led by Brazilian curator Solange Farkas, has resigned effective April 30, 2026. The jury—comprising Solange Oliveira Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi—announced their resignation in a written statement, referencing a prior Statement of Intention issued on April 22. In response, La Biennale di Venezia postponed the Awards Ceremony from May 9 to November 22, the final public day, and introduced two new "Visitors' Lions" awards—one for the Best Participant in the main exhibition "In Minor Keys" by Koyo Kouoh, and one for the Best National Participation—to be decided by ticket-holder vote.
This resignation and the subsequent restructuring of the awards process matter because they signal a significant institutional crisis at one of the world's most prestigious art events. The jury's departure, likely tied to unresolved political or ethical disagreements, and the Biennale's pivot to a visitor-voted award system, raise questions about curatorial authority, censorship, and the role of national pavilions—especially with Russia and Israel reportedly returning to contention. The move underscores ongoing tensions between artistic freedom, geopolitical pressures, and the Biennale's stated mission as a "place of truce."