Venice Biennale will not award artists from Israel & Russia due to war crime accusations
- Text by Noah Petersons
Art Not Genocide — Both countries will still be allowed to exhibit work at their respective pavilions, but be excluded from judging considerations, as they have leaders facing arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court.
On 23 April, the Venice Biennale jury announced that it will not hand out awards to artists from countries whose leaders are facing charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The all female jury, comprising Solange Oliveira Farkas (president), Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi ruled that the countries in question – understood to refer to Israel and Russia – will be ineligible for its top prizes. These are the Golden Lion for best national participation, the Golden Lion for Best Participant in the International Exhibition and Silver Lion for promising young participant – citing their commitment to “the defence of human rights”, and the vision of the late Koyo Kouoh, the Swiss-Cameroonian curator appointed to lead this edition before her death in 2025.
The international contemporary art exhibition was established in 1895, runs from May 9 to November 22 at the traditional Giardini and Arsenale venues, along with various locations throughout Venice, Italy. It is one of the most prominent cultural events in the world, bringing together artists from more than 100 countries across national pavilions.
Read next: Gaza Biennale comes to London in ICA protest
In 2023, the ICC, issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin in 2023 over alleged deportations of Ukrainian children. A warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu followed in 2024, over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Both governments have rejected the court’s authority.
Neither Russia nor Israel are mentioned by name in the jury’s statement – a fact that critics have already seized on, with the Art Not Genocide Alliance inviting the jurors to go further and sign an open letter calling for full exclusion. Both countries are currently set to exhibit at their pavilions in the upcoming edition.
Meanwhile, the European Commission has cut a €2 million (£1.73m) grant to the Biennale over Russia’s return – its first participation since 2022 – giving the institution 30 days to defend its decision. Finland’s government has gone further, saying that it will boycott the Biennale entirely if Russia is permitted to participate.
Commenting on the announcement, the Biennale told ARTnews: “The Jury of the Biennale Arte 2026, like all juries of La Biennale di Venezia’s Exhibitions and Festivals, acts autonomously and in total freedom of opinion in the exercise of its functions.”
Noah Petersons is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Instagram.
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