Three weeks before the Venice Biennale opens on May 5, the city remains a construction site, with the Giardini closed and parts of the Arsenale requiring special access. Artist Faustin Linyekula rehearses his performance *The Galeazze Project* in a 16th-century roofless complex, working with the existing gravel, natural light, and lagoon acoustics rather than imposing a structure. Geopolitical conflicts, supply chain disruptions, and the sudden resignation of the Biennale’s international jury via Instagram add pressure to the already challenging logistics of mounting the global exhibition.
This article matters because it reveals the hidden labor and fragility behind one of the art world’s most prestigious events, highlighting how geopolitical tensions and infrastructure constraints directly affect artistic production and exhibition-making. It also underscores the Biennale’s role as a political flashpoint, with controversies over national pavilions (Israel, Russia) and institutional governance (the jury resignation) threatening to overshadow the art itself. The piece offers a rare, on-the-ground perspective on the precariousness and resilience required to realize a major international art exhibition.