Venice Biennale friction
The Venice Biennale is facing EU criticism for allowing Kremlin‑tied Russian artists, while South African artist Gabrielle Goliath—whose Palestine tribute was banned from the main South African pavilion—will now show her piece outside the official event; the Biennale period also coincides with the recent death of New German Cinema figure Alexander Kluge. (united24media.com) (arabnews.com) (en.ara.cat)
A cross‑party group of 37 European lawmakers has formally urged the Biennale’s organisers to face a sanctions‑style probe and called on the EU to stop funding the event over Russia’s reinstated pavilion. (msn.com) EU Technology Commissioner Henna Virkkunen and Culture Commissioner Glenn Micallef warned they will “examine further action, including the suspension or termination of an ongoing EU grant” if Russia takes part in violation of collective EU measures. (politico.eu) The European Commission is reportedly considering a targeted freeze of about €2 million in support tied to the Biennale as leverage against Russia’s return, according to reporting that cites Brussels discussions. (ytali.com) Italy’s Ministry of Culture publicly opposed the decision while Mikhail Shvydkoy, the Kremlin’s special representative for international cultural cooperation, hailed Russia’s participation as evidence that “Russian culture is not isolated.” (politico.eu) Analyses of the announced Russian project say organisers include pro‑government folklorists and outspoken supporters of the Kremlin’s “special military operation,” a composition that has prompted protests and statements from Ukrainian groups and activist artists. (artslooker.com) Gabrielle Goliath’s cancelled South Africa pavilion will be staged independently at Venice’s Chiesa di Sant’Antonin from May for a three‑month run after Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie cancelled the official show and a court rejected the artist’s legal challenge. (news.artnet.com) Filmmaker and intellectual Alexander Kluge died in Munich at age 94 earlier this week, a loss confirmed by his family and publisher Suhrkamp; Kluge was a seminal New German Cinema figure. (hollywoodreporter.com) Kluge won the Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion in 1968 for The Artists in the Big Top: Perplexed, linking his death in March 2026 to another moment of attention on Venice’s cultural calendar. (variety.com)
