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MYSTERIOUS: Biennale - You Need To See This

Venice Biennale 61: Patti Smith and Soundwalk Collective's ritual performance

Patti Smith performed texts and hymns by Saint Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th-century Benedictine nun, at the official opening of the Holy See's Vatican Pavilion.

Euronews

A shattered Biennale

The grandiose and oldest international art event, La Biennale di Venezia (Venice Biennale), opened its 61st edition under the theme "In Minor Keys" by artistic director Koyo Kouoh. The events that built up to the opening last month were far from minor due to various protests that trumpeted loud ripple…

Bangkok Post

Baby dolls, whale songs and swimming in urine: The Venice Biennale’s must-see national pavilions

The national pavilions that chime with Kouoh’s core values of nurture, intimacy and reflection are those that quietly steal this year’s spotlight.

Euronews

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This year’s Venice Biennale marks a major shift in European cultural politics

I was texting a museum director friend in Asia recently. We were discussing whether a trip to this year’s “artworld Olympics”, the Venice Biennale, justified the carbon release.

The Conversation

OPINION - The posturing over the inclusion of Russia and Israel is a betrayal of Venice’s vision

It feels wrong to cancel artists because you disapprove of what their countries are up to, writes Melanie McDonagh

Evening Standard

Venice Biennale opens with protests against Russia and Israel

For the first time, Biennale workers went on strike on Friday over Russia's and Israel's presence at the kermesse, with twenty pavilions closed on the eve of the public opening.

Euronews

EU countries back suspension of funding for the Venice Biennale over Russian participation

Fourteen out of 27 EU member states criticised the reopening of the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale, which sparked a fierce controversy in Italy, as Brussels called for a suspension of funding.

Euronews

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Qatar makes Venice Biennale debut with pavilion built on collaboration, food and live art

Led by artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, the project brings together artists, musicians and chefs from across the Arab world.

Euronews

An outsider artist takes the world's biggest stage with the US Pavilion at the Venice Biennale

U.S. artist Alma Allen had just months to prepare his exhibition for the Venice Biennale after a fraught selection process came down to the wire

The Independent UK

What Iran’s absence from the Venice Biennale reveals about art and politics

Just days before the opening of the 2026 Venice Biennale, organisers announced that Iran would no longer participate.

The Conversation

Italy: Femen and Pussy Riot protest Russia’s return to Venice Biennale

The 2026 Venice Biennale opened press previews on Wednesday with protests outside the Russian pavilion, marking Moscow’s return since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Euronews

Pussy Riot stage protest blocking access to Russian pavilion at Venice Biennale

Members of punk group Pussy Riot and Ukraine's FEMEN organization have staged a protest at the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale

The Independent UK

Italian Culture Minister shuns opening of Venice Biennale due to Russia pavilion

Moscow has not participated in the Biennale since 2022. This year, it received the approval of the president of the Biennale Foundation, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco. The decision caused tensions within the Italian government and Brussels.

Euronews

Venice Biennale jury ‘will not award artists from countries facing war crimes charges’

Statement, apparently aimed at Russia and Israel, makes clear it is committed to the defence of human rights

The Guardian - UK

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Euronews

Reopening of the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale: EU threatens to cut funding

In a letter addressed to the president of the Venice Biennale, the European Commission has threatened to freeze €2 million to the cultural institution in response to the reopening of the Russian pavilion.

The Guardian - UK

South African work banned from Venice Biennale to be shown outside main event

South Africa’s Venice pavilion left empty after Gabrielle Goliath’s ‘highly divisive’ tribute to Palestinian poet blocked

The Guardian - AU

Chris Minns and Jewish groups condemn ‘horrid rhetoric’ from DJ at opening night of Sydney Biennale

US-based Zubeyda Muzeyyen, AKA DJ Haram, claimed a ‘Zio-Australian-Epstein empire’ was responsible for silencing dissenters

The Independent UK

Inclusion of Russia in 2026 Venice Biennale art fair sparks outcry

The inclusion of Russia in the line-up of the 2026 Venice Biennale art fair has sparked international outcry

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The Guardian - UK

Venice Biennale risks losing EU funding over planned Russia involvement

European Commission says it will suspend €2m grant if organisers of arts festival go ahead with proposals

The Guardian - UK

‘A stage for whitewashing war crimes’: Venice Biennale urged to exclude Russia

Ukraine criticises organisers’ decision to allow Russia to take part in prestigious art exhibition as ‘incomprehensible’

Euronews

Russia returns to the Venice Biennale amid fierce criticism

Even if Moscow was never formally banned from the most important contemporary art competition after its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, this return - which coincides with a certain 'rehabilitation' of Russian athletes - is raising quite a few eyebrows.

Newslaundry

South Central 57: Chandrababu Naidu’s RSS shift and the Kochi Biennale controversy

In this episode of South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna first discuss the recent political developments in Andhra Pradesh, including CM Chandrababu Naidu’s growing affiliation with the BJP. They are joined by Professor K Nageshwar, a politician, academic, and political analyst.

Euronews

Tove, Frida and Schiaparelli: The 10 unmissable exhibitions and art events of 2026

Next year brings blockbuster shows from the Venice Biennale to a Frida Kahlo retrospective, plus the Middle East's most exciting new art fair.

The Conversation

Finding culture and community through dance at the 2025 Lyon Dance Biennale

There’s an intensity to festivals, a spillover effect where one event leads to another as if the whole town were participating in one long, articulated show.

Euronews

'Violence unpunished': Kyiv Biennale examines the healing power of art after war and conflict

The 6th Kyiv Biennale at the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw examines the effect of war and conflict and asks how society often allows violence to go unpunished. The idea behind the exhibition was inspired by the revolutionary events in Ukraine's Maidan Square a decade ago.

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