Italy’s culture minister announces boycott of Biennale opening, cites political opposition

Italy’s culture minister Alessandro Giuli said on April 27 that he would not attend the opening of the 61st Venice Biennale because of the Russian pavilion’s presence at the exhibition. The decision put one of Italy’s most senior cultural officials at odds with an event the ministry itself helps underpin through Italy’s national pavilion and broader institutional support. The boycott was announced ahead of the Biennale’s pre-opening days and before the public opening on May 9. La Biennale di Venezia says the 61st International Art Exhibition runs from May 9 to November 22, 2026, under the title *In Minor Keys*, curated by Koyo Kouoh. ### Who is the minister, and what exactly did he boycott? Alessandro Giuli, Italy’s minister of culture, said he would not travel to Venice during the days before the opening and would not attend the inauguration ceremony scheduled for May 9. Reports citing the ministry said the boycott was explicitly tied to the Russian pavilion. (euronews.com) The ministry’s move was notable because the Venice Biennale is one of Italy’s highest-profile international cultural events, and the culture minister would ordinarily be expected at opening ceremonies and official appearances tied to Italy’s participation. The Italian culture ministry’s own contemporary-creativity directorate is also responsible for organizing and supporting the Italian pavilion at the Biennale. (news.liga.net) ### Why did the Russian pavilion become the flashpoint? Russia had not taken part in the Biennale after the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to reports on Giuli’s decision. The return of a Russian pavilion for the 2026 edition drew objections and became the stated reason for the minister’s absence. (creativitacontemporanea.cultura.gov.it) Euronews and other outlets reported that the issue had already created tension inside Italian political circles and in Brussels. Those reports said the pavilion would remain closed to the public during the exhibition even as its presence on the Biennale grounds remained the focus of protest. (news.liga.net) ### What is the Biennale opening that he chose to skip? La Biennale di Venezia said the 61st International Art Exhibition had pre-opening days on May 6, 7 and 8, with the exhibition opening to the public on May 9. The show is staged at the Giardini and the Arsenale, with other venues across Venice and at Forte Marghera. (news.liga.net) Koyo Kouoh was named curator of the 2026 exhibition, which La Biennale says is titled *In Minor Keys*. The institution says the exhibition continues through November 22. ### How does Italy still participate if the minister stayed away? Italy’s state role in the Biennale did not end with Giuli’s boycott. (labiennale.org) The culture ministry’s contemporary-creativity directorate named Cecilia Canziani as curator of the Italian pavilion for the 2026 exhibition, with a project by Chiara Camoni. (labiennale.org) That meant the minister’s action was directed at the opening events and the political dispute around the Russian pavilion, not at Italy’s own formal participation in the Biennale. The Italian pavilion remained part of the exhibition’s national representation structure. (creativitacontemporanea.cultura.gov.it) ### What happened next in Venice? Venice’s Giardini remained the center of attention as the Biennale opened, with national pavilions, official ceremonies and protests unfolding around the exhibition grounds. Art-focused coverage from the opening period also reported demonstrations in front of the Russian pavilion. (creativitacontemporanea.cultura.gov.it) The Biennale’s next fixed milestone is November 22, 2026, when La Biennale says the 61st International Art Exhibition closes. Until then, the exhibition remains open at the Giardini and Arsenale, while Italy’s pavilion project by Cecilia Canziani and Chiara Camoni continues under the culture ministry’s umbrella. (labiennale.org)