Biennale Arte 2026: Russia and Israel Excluded from Golden Lion Race by Jury

Russia and Israel will participate in the 61st Venice Art Biennale, but their national pavilions will be ineligible for any official awards. The Biennale announced the jury's decision, led by Solange Farkas. The jury stated that countries whose leaders are currently indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity will not be considered for official recognition. While this decision does not formally prevent their participation, it effectively excludes Russia and Israel from the competition.

The jury, which also includes Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, emphasized the Biennale's historical role as a platform connecting art with contemporary urgencies and reaffirmed its commitment to human rights, in line with the vision of the late Koyo Kouoh, curator of the 61st International Art Exhibition.

This decision stems from the International Criminal Court's 2024 arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to actions in Gaza. Similarly, an arrest warrant was issued in 2023 for Vladimir Putin concerning the invasion of Ukraine.

The Biennale's press office clarified that the jury operates with full autonomy and that the statement reflects the individual position of its members, not an institutional act. The organization reiterated its stance against excluding countries recognized by Italy and its rejection of "any form of censorship or exclusion of art and culture."

This situation highlights a rift between institutional, political, and ethical spheres. While the Biennale organization maintains the official participation of the pavilions, it has drawn opposition and embarrassment from the Italian government, particularly regarding the Russian pavilion. The symbolic legitimacy of these national presences within the exhibition system is becoming increasingly problematic. Politicians from countries like Finland and Latvia have announced their intention to boycott the Russian pavilion's opening, and the European Union has hinted at suspending funding to the Biennale, which has previously amounted to up to two million euros per edition.

In recent weeks, numerous artists involved in the international exhibition and several curatorial consultants signed an open letter calling for the exclusion of the pavilions of Israel, Russia, and the United States, arguing that "there is a threshold beyond which participation cannot be normalized." The Art Not Genocide Alliance also issued a statement, pointing out the absence of a Palestinian Pavilion and highlighting the asymmetries in the national representation system.

Geopolitically, this issue intertwines with existing dynamics. Russia is returning with its own pavilion after absences following the invasion of Ukraine; in 2022, the appointed artists withdrew, and in 2024, the space was allocated to Bolivia. Israel will present its project at the Arsenale, while its pavilion at the Giardini is undergoing renovations. Some observers interpret this latter choice as a response to the protests that marked the previous edition.

The International Jury will award the Golden Lion for best national participation, the Golden Lion for best participant in the International Exhibition, and the Silver Lion for a promising young participant in the International Exhibition. The Jury also has the discretion to award up to two special mentions for national participations and special mentions for participants in the International Exhibition. The awards ceremony will take place in Venice on May 9, 2026.