The exiled Belarus Free Theatre will stage a major exhibition titled "Official. Unofficial. Belarus." as an official collateral event at the 61st Venice Biennale. In the absence of a formal national pavilion, the group show will occupy the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, featuring works by artists like Sergey Grinevich and Vladimir Tsesler that utilize religious iconography and prison materials to critique state surveillance and political repression.
This exhibition serves as a vital act of cultural resistance against the long-standing authoritarian regime of Alexander Lukashenko, which has intensified its crackdown on artistic expression since 2020. By securing a platform at one of the world's most prestigious art events, the collective highlights the plight of exiled and imprisoned Belarusian creators while asserting the continuity of a national artistic identity that exists independently of state control.