Venice Biennale Jury Named
- La Biennale announced the international jury for the 61st International Art Exhibition and confirmed the Awards Ceremony for May 9, 2026. (labiennale.org) - The jury will be presided over by Solange Oliveira Farkas, with Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, Giovanna Zapperi, and Zoe Butt also listed. (artnews.com) - The announcement arrives while the Biennale faces geopolitical controversy, including EU discussions about cutting funding over the Russian pavilion. (artnews.com)
La Biennale di Venezia has named the five jurors who will decide the top prizes at the 2026 Venice Biennale, with Solange Oliveira Farkas serving as president. (labiennale.org) The rest of the panel is Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, according to the Biennale’s April 22 announcement. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2026, in Venice. (labiennale.org) The 61st International Art Exhibition, titled *In Minor Keys*, will run from May 9 to November 22, 2026, with preview days on May 6, 7, and 8. La Biennale says the main exhibition will span the Giardini, the Arsenale, and other sites across Venice. (labiennale.org) The jury announcement lands late in a cycle already shaped by the death of curator Koyo Kouoh, who died on May 10, 2025, after being appointed in late 2024 to lead the 2026 edition. La Biennale said in February that it would carry out the exhibition with the support of Kouoh’s family. (labiennale.org 1) (labiennale.org 2) La Biennale has kept Kouoh’s exhibition plan in place under the title *In Minor Keys* and said on February 25 that the show will include 110 invited participants. It also said on March 4 that the 2026 edition will include 100 national participations and 31 collateral events. (labiennale.org 1) (labiennale.org 2) At the same time, the Biennale is facing pressure over Russia’s planned return to its national pavilion. ARTnews reported that 37 members of the European Parliament called on the European Union to strip funding from the Biennale over the pavilion’s inclusion. (artnews.com) That pressure escalated this week when Politico reported that European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc intends to cut funding over the decision to readmit Russian artists to the 2026 edition. Euronews reported earlier this month that the dispute had opened divisions between Brussels and Italian institutions. (politico.eu) (euronews.com) ARTnews said the jury will decide the Golden Lions and other official awards for an edition that opens on May 9. For now, La Biennale is moving ahead on schedule, with the prizes, opening, and exhibition all set for the same day. (artnews.com) (labiennale.org)
