Venice Biennale jury bars Russia and Israel from awards

(SeaPRwire) –   The judges have cited contested allegations of war crimes against the leaders of these nations as the basis for their decision

A statement released on Thursday indicates that the jury for the Venice Biennale, an annual global cultural event, will withhold awards from artists representing nations whose leaders are accused of crimes against humanity.

This decision impacts Russia and Israel, as their respective leaders are subjects of International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants, which both nations have dismissed.

The five-person jury declared this decision, notwithstanding the event’s declared commitment to inclusivity. Marta Kuzma, a professor at the Yale School of Art and a jury member, has Ukrainian heritage.

This action effectively establishes an additional criterion for the event, thereby creating a divergence between the Biennale’s official institutional position and the stance adopted by its judging panel.

While the statement refrains from explicitly naming Russia and Israel, it declares that the “jury will abstain from evaluating countries whose leaders are presently facing charges of crimes against humanity from the International Criminal Court (ICC).”

In 2023, an ICC arrest warrant was issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning alleged deportations of Ukrainian children. Moscow, which does not acknowledge the court’s authority, has characterized these accusations as politically motivated.

Similarly, an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was issued in 2024 regarding alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza. Israeli authorities have also rejected the case and disputed the court’s jurisdiction.

This development coincides with the European Commission’s announcement that it would reduce a €2 million ($2.3 million) grant to the event due to Russia’s involvement. The Biennale had readmitted Russia for the first time in four years, despite the continuing conflict in Ukraine, asserting that the exhibition is “an open institution” that “rejects any form of exclusion or censorship of art.”

Nevertheless, the jury’s criteria are exclusively linked to ICC charges, which are not consistently applied across all global conflicts.

Earlier in the month, a collective of artists and curators published an open letter objecting to the involvement of the US, alongside Russia and Israel, referencing “occupation, and war” in Cuba, Iran, and Venezuela. Despite this, the participation of American artists in the event, scheduled from May 9 to November 22, remains unchanged.