Strikes and protests disrupt Venice Biennale opening amid Russia and Israel backlash

Strike action by artists and affiliated cultural workers is set to disrupt the public opening of theVenice Biennale as protests over the participation of Israel and Russia escalate into one of the most politically charged confrontations in the exhibition’s recent history.

Several national pavilions are expected to close temporarily during the Biennale’s opening day after artists, technicians and support staff joined a coordinated walkout organised by pro-Palestinian groups and Italian labour unions. Participating teams from countries including Austria, Belgium, Egypt, Japan, the Netherlands and South Korea have either confirmed closures or indicated support for the action.

The strike follows days of demonstrations across the Biennale grounds, where activists have targeted both the Israeli and Russian pavilions over the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Organisers said the action does not involve Biennale staff directly but acknowledged that it could affect the “orderly conduct” of the opening programme.

The unrest has intensified scrutiny of the Biennale’s decision to allow Russia to return for the first time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. On Wednesday, members of the Russian protest collective Pussy Riot and the Ukrainian-founded activist group Femen staged a protest outside the Russian pavilion, accusing the institution of enabling Moscow to project cultural influence during wartime.

The European Commission has condemned Russia’s reinstatement and warned that it could reconsider up to €2mn in funding connected to the Biennale. Italy’s culture minister has declined to attend the public opening, while deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini has opposed calls for exclusions, arguing that no country should be barred from participation.

At the same time, pressure has mounted over Israel’s continued presence at the exhibition during its military campaign in Gaza. Activist coalition Art Not Genocide Alliance said more than 230 Biennale participants, including artists, curators and art workers, had signed a letter calling for Israel’s exclusion.

Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco defended the institution this week against accusations that it was shielding states accused of war crimes. He argued that the Biennale should remain a forum for international exchange rather than political censorship.

The dispute has already destabilised the exhibition’s governance. Last month, the Biennale’s international jury resigned after announcing that artists representing countries whose leaders are under investigation for war crimes would not be eligible for prizes, a move that effectively excluded Russia and Israel from award consideration.

Russia’s pavilion, which stood empty in 2022 after its curators withdrew in protest against the invasion of Ukraine, reopened this year with a programme of installations and sound performances. Its commissioner, Anastasia Karneeva, defended the country’s participation during preview week, saying the pavilion remained Russia’s “place” within the Biennale.

Nearby, Ukrainian artist Zhanna Kadyrova is exhibiting a suspended concrete sculpture evacuated from Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine as Russian forces advanced. The work has become one of several unofficial symbols of the conflict running through this year’s exhibition.