From Minor Keys to Uproar: The Crisis of the Venice Biennale

The 61st Venice Biennale is engulfed in a structural crisis, marked by geopolitical tensions over the inclusion of Russia (amid its invasion of Ukraine) and Israel (amid the Gaza genocide). The Biennale Foundation, led by Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, defended their participation on legalistic grounds, sparking outrage from over 200 artists, curators, and cultural workers who demanded Israel's exclusion, aligning with Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA). The international jury, chaired by Solange Farkas and including Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, resigned collectively on April 30 after deciding not to award prizes to countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court arrest warrants. This led to the cancellation of the traditional Golden and Silver Lions, replaced by audience-voted "Visitor Lions," with awards deferred until November. The European Commission suspended a €2 million subsidy over Russia's participation, and Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli notably skipped the May 9 opening.

This crisis matters because it challenges the Biennale's legitimacy as a neutral mediator between art, global politics, and public ethics. The jury's resignation and the shift to public voting reflect a transfer of ethical-political responsibility from expert authority to diffuse public opinion, risking the dilution of critical judgment. The curatorial vision of the late Koyo Kouoh, titled "In Minor Keys," which sought to avoid the "spectacle of horror" and focus on subtle resistance, has been overshadowed by institutional spectacle. The events expose deep fractures in the Biennale's model, raising questions about institutional autonomy, cultural responsibility, and the role of art in the face of state violence.