Italy’s Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano has announced that this year’s Venice Biennale (4 Israel will participate as a representative from March 20th to November 24th.
The letter, published earlier this week by a group known as the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA), so far includes other artists including last year’s Turner Prize winners Jesse Darling and Joanna. More than 14,500 people have signed it. Piotrowska, Nan Goldin, Michael Rakowitz, Leila Sansour.
The alliance describes itself as “an international group of artists, curators, writers and cultural activists who have come together to call for the exclusion of Israel from the Venice Biennale.”
In a statement published on February 27th with the headline “No to intolerance. Yes to Israel,” San Giuliano denounced the protest letter as “shameful” and said: added to. all citizens. The Venice Biennale has always been a space of freedom, meetings and dialogue, not censorship or intolerance. Culture is a bridge between people and nations, not a dividing wall. ”
In an online statement, the ANGA alliance said: “Culture is not a ‘bridge between people and nations’ when one nation engages in the exclusion of another…freedom of thought and creative expression is threatened. It’s only when the artist turns away from reality.”
Artist Ruth Patia represents Israel. her project is infertility pavilion, focuses on modern motherhood. The curators of the pavilion are Mira Lapidot and Tamar Margalit. Patil and Lapidot have been contacted for comment.
In a statement given to art news Last October, Margalit, Patil and Lapidot said: “We are appalled and horrified by the horrific attack by Hamas on October 7th, which brutally shattered the lives of so many of our relatives, friends and acquaintances. , compounded by deep concern about the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the tragic loss of life there and what lies ahead.”
ANGA’s letter cites historical precedents where other countries have been barred from participating in the Venice Biennale, including South Africa, which was excluded from 1968 to 1993 due to apartheid policies.
ANGA’s letter added that in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, “the Biennale and its curators have issued numerous statements supporting the right to self-determination, freedom, and humanity of the Ukrainian people,” and subsequently “We are silent about Israel’s atrocities against the Palestinian people.” (Russia will not be represented this year either.)
Venice Biennale organizers did not respond to requests for comment.