The article recounts the 1968 protests at the Venice Biennale, where artists, students, and activists clashed with police over the event's perceived ties to bourgeois power and capitalist commodification. It draws parallels to the 2024 Biennale, where groups like Art Not Genocide Alliance, Pussy Riot, and Femen demonstrated against the participation of Russia and Israel, while artists staged strikes and performances like the Solidarity Drone Chorus to highlight the Gaza conflict.
This matters because the Venice Biennale has always been a political arena, reflecting global power dynamics and social tensions. The 1968 protests marked a turning point in the Biennale's history, shifting its orientation from a colonial-era super-salon to a contested space for avant-garde art and political expression. The article underscores how protest remains a vital force in shaping the Biennale's role as a mirror of contemporary crises, from fascism to war.