Russia has announced it will reopen its national pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale after a four-year hiatus following the invasion of Ukraine. The pavilion, which remained closed in 2022 and was loaned to Bolivia in 2024, will host an exhibition titled "The Tree is Rooted in the Sky" featuring a "musical festival" with over 50 participants from Russia and countries including Argentina, Brazil, Mali, and Mexico.
The decision marks a defiant return to the international art stage as Russia seeks to bypass Western "cancellation" and sanctions. By framing the project as a "multilingual polyphony" of non-Western cultures and emphasizing that culture exists in "eternity" beyond temporary politics, Russian officials are attempting to re-establish their cultural presence and soft power within one of the world's most prestigious contemporary art forums.