Artists Urge Venice Biennale to Drop Israeli Pavilion
Sculptures by Gabriel Chaile at the Arsenale.
PHOTO ANDREW RUSSETH
A tidal wave of voices from the art community has surged towards the Venice Biennale, the crown jewel of global art festivals, urging it to reconsider Israel's participation this year. The collective outcry, encapsulated in an open letter, starkly labels the Biennale's inclusion of the Israeli Pavilion as an act of giving a platform to what they describe as "a genocidal apartheid state."
The chorus of dissent isn't just a few isolated voices; it's a symphony comprising Biennale veterans, Turner Prize luminaries, globally celebrated artists, and a curator renowned on the international biennial stage.
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This call to action emerges against a backdrop of escalating violence in Gaza, with the local health ministry's death toll nearing a heartbreaking 30,000 lives lost since the October 7 Hamas offensive.
Israel's military response to the attack, which claimed 1,200 Israeli lives and saw over 200 individuals taken hostage, has included a relentless series of airstrikes and a ground assault on Gaza. The anticipation of an Israeli incursion into Rafah—a Gaza city sheltering an estimated 1.5 million Palestinians—adds to the urgency of their plea for peace.
The letter minces no words, deeming Israel's actions in Gaza as "genocide" and demanding an immediate ceasefire. It articulates a clear stance: showcasing art from a state actively engaged in such severe actions against Palestinians in Gaza is indefensible at the Venice Biennale. The call is for art, not a "Genocide Pavilion."
Furthermore, the signatories highlight what they perceive as the Biennale's inconsistency, pointing out its vocal support for Ukraine amid the 2022 Russian invasion while remaining silent on Gaza's plight. Notably, Russia was absent from the 2022 Biennale and remains unlisted for this year's event.
Israel's representation this year by Ruth Patir, with curators Mira Lapidot and Tamar Margalit, has been overshadowed by the conflict. In October, the trio expressed their shock and horror at the Hamas attack, acknowledging the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and mourning the tragic loss of life on all sides.
Faisal Saleh, director of the Palestine Museum US—which made its mark with an officially sanctioned exhibit at the 2022 Biennale—revealed his proposal for this year was turned down. However, Palestinian artists will be featured in a collateral event not affiliated with the museum.
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Saleh's signature graces the open letter, alongside other prominent figures advocating for Palestine. Among them are Nan Goldin, who called off a project with The New York Times over its alleged "complicity with Israel"; artist Mike Parr, reportedly dropped by his Australian gallery after a performance touching on Israel and Palestine; and David Velasco, dismissed from Artforum following the magazine's publication of an artists' call for ceasefire.
Joining the ranks of signatories are Jesse Darling, last year's Turner Prize recipient, and a constellation of artists including Carolina Caycedo, Meriem Bennani, Naeem Mohaiemen, Frieda Toranzo Jaeger, Evan Ifekoya, Lydia Ourahmane, and Katja Novitskova, all united in their plea for the Biennale to reflect deeply on its platforming choices amidst the ongoing conflict.
