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At the Venice Biennale, considered by many to be the most important art event in the world, Russia reopened its pavilion on Tuesday. However, it will be open only to the press.
Although the Venice Biennale had previously stated it would not admit artists with ties to the government while Russia was at war in Ukraine, it still allowed Russia to return to the world's most prestigious art event. This decision is widely seen as an attempt to restore Russia's international reputation.
Instead of traditional visual art, the Russian pavilion featured folk singers, DJ performances and a sound system.
The return sparked considerable political opposition. European authorities threatened to withhold 2 million euros in funding and the Italian Ministry of Culture launched an investigation into whether the Biennale had violated EU sanctions.
The Biennale's prize jury resigned last week after announcing it would exclude artists from countries whose leaders were under investigation by the International Criminal Court. The decision also drew criticism for excluding Israeli artists.
Ukrainian representative, Zhanna Kadyrova, stated to The New York Times that the Biennale administrators could afford to advocate for dialogue because they did not face drone attacks on a daily basis, as she did in Kyiv. Her own exhibition, “Security Guarantees,” referred to international promises made to Ukraine thirty years ago in exchange for giving up its nuclear weapons.
Protests were planned by dissident groups, including Pussy Riot, while the dissident Russian artist Katia Margolis accused the Biennale of sacrificing its ethics by admitting Russia. Kadyrova chose not to participate in the protests, preferring to keep the focus on Ukraine itself.
The Russian pavilion will be open to the press only until Friday. From Saturday, when the general public can visit the Biennale, the pavilion will be closed.
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