Venice Biennale closes Russian Pavilion to the public
- Venice Biennale organizers will keep the Russian Pavilion shut to regular visitors after preview days, allowing access only during the May 6–8 vernissage. - From the public opening on May 9 through November 22, the Giardini building is set to stay closed, with performances shown only on screens. - The closure follows EU funding pressure and a widening political backlash over Russia’s return. (apnews.com)
The Russian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale will be open only during the May 6–8 preview days, then closed to the public. (artnews.com) (labiennale.org) That means visitors arriving for the official public opening on Saturday, May 9, will not be able to enter the pavilion in the Giardini. The Biennale runs through November 22, 2026. (labiennale.org 1) (labiennale.org 2) Hyperallergic reported that some artists in Russia’s exhibition, “The tree is rooted in the sky,” are expected to perform during the preview period for press and art professionals. After that, documentation of those performances is expected to play on screens visible from the pavilion’s windows. (hyperallergic.com) The arrangement follows weeks of pressure over Russia’s return to the Biennale after its absence following the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia had not mounted its own national pavilion at the 2022 or 2024 editions. (artnews.com) The dispute has already cost the Biennale money. The Associated Press reported on April 23 that the European Union withdrew a €2 million grant over the decision to allow Russia to participate in the 61st exhibition. (apnews.com) The politics have spread beyond access to the building. Reuters reported that the Biennale’s five-member jury said it would not consider countries whose leaders face charges at the International Criminal Court, a standard that affects Russia and Israel. (usnews.com) Italy’s culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, also said he would skip the Biennale opening in protest over the Russian pavilion’s presence. Euronews said the move deepened a public split with Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, who approved Russia’s return. (euronews.com) The 2026 exhibition itself is proceeding under unusual circumstances. La Biennale says “In Minor Keys,” the main show conceived by curator Koyo Kouoh, will go ahead with the support of her family after her death in May 2025. (labiennale.org) So the compromise now is narrow and highly visible: Russia keeps its pavilion on the Biennale map during the preview, but public visitors will mostly encounter a closed building after May 9. (artnews.com) (hyperallergic.com)
