The 2026 Venice Biennale opened for professionals on Tuesday amid a series of protests, with more planned throughout the week. Around 60 artists from the exhibition "In Minor Keys" gathered at the Giardini for a collective action called "Solidarity Drone Chorus," inspired by Gazan composer Ahmed Muin's "Drone Song," to draw attention to genocide and war in Palestine. The Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) organized a 24-hour strike for Friday 8 May, protesting Israel's participation. Pussy Riot staged a protest outside the Russian pavilion, and the Latvian pavilion launched a campaign against Russia's involvement. The protests follow a highly politicized lead-up, including calls for boycotts of the Russian, Israeli, and US pavilions, EU funding cuts over Russia's participation, and the resignation of the Biennale jury.
These protests matter because they highlight the ongoing tension between art and geopolitics at one of the world's most prestigious cultural events. The Venice Biennale has historically been a site of political expression, but this year's coordinated actions—including artist-led occupations, strikes, and national pavilion campaigns—signal a deepening crisis over institutional complicity in conflicts. The participation of Russia and Israel has become a flashpoint, testing the Biennale's claims to neutrality and its commitment to artistic freedom versus ethical accountability. The outcome could set a precedent for how major international exhibitions handle politically charged participation in the future.