Translated by Martina Marino
Between the “no” front led by 22 EU countries and the openness shown by President Buttafuoco, the reopening of Moscow’s pavilion in Venice is fueling political and cultural debate.
Russia’s return to the Venice Biennale continues to spark controversy, turning the lagoon event into a full-fledged diplomatic case. Just weeks before the exhibition’s opening, scheduled from May 9 to November 22, the debate has become increasingly polarized. On one side are those, such as Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, who categorically oppose Moscow’s participation; on the other are figures like Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, who defends the unifying nature of art, sport, and culture. A further faction points out that excluding Russia would be inconsistent with the presence, considered equally problematic by some, of countries such as the United States and Israel.
Precedents and the New Project
The recent history of the Russian pavilion at the Giardini has been anything but straightforward. In 2022, in open protest against the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Lithuanian curator Raimundas Malašauskas and artists Kirill Savchenkov and Aleksandra Sukhareva withdrew their participation, leaving the structure closed. The following year, Moscow also boycotted the Architecture Biennale.
Efforts to fill the void have varied: in 2024, the space was granted to Bolivia, while in 2025 it hosted a project by renowned British architect Thomas Heatherwick. The latter initiative triggered strong protests from Michał Murawski (one of the curators of the Ukrainian pavilion), who accused Heatherwick and the Venetian organization of collaboration with Moscow.
For the upcoming edition, Russia has opted for an unconventional format titled The Tree Has Roots in the Sky, a collective installation based on sound performances by 38 artists. However, uncertainty remains over the possibility of an early closure of the exhibition space during the event.
The Governance Issue and Institutional Clash
To understand the decision-making dynamics, it is important to recall that national pavilions are owned by their respective governments, which act autonomously in selecting curators and projects, while maintaining ongoing dialogue with the Biennale’s leadership.
It is precisely at the top of the institution that another political battle is unfolding. Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, a journalist appointed by the Ministry of Culture in 2024 and with a past in the youth organization of the Italian Social Movement, has defended Moscow’s return by stating that the exhibition “is open to everyone.” This stance has sparked criticism, particularly in light of some of his statements prior to the invasion of Ukraine, in which he described Vladimir Putin as “the only true right-wing statesman.”
Comments that have not gone down well with activist Nadya Tolokonnikova, who sought to clarify the legal limits of the issue: “The Russian pavilion is neither an embassy nor sovereign territory, and it does not enjoy diplomatic immunity,” she explained. “This means that institutions, from the Italian government to the Biennale, have full authority to say ‘no’ to Russia, if they chose to do so.”
The Pressure from the European Unio
The situation has been further intensified by European intervention. On March 9, the European Commission issued a strongly worded statement condemning the decisions of the Biennale’s leadership, going as far as to threaten the suspension or cancellation of EU funding.
As reported by Politico, reinforcing this hardline stance was a joint letter signed by 22 EU Ministers of Culture, urging the Biennale to reconsider its position. “Providing such a prestigious platform to a country under international sanctions for violating Ukraine’s sovereignty sends a profoundly wrong message,” the document states.
The signatories conclude with a broader reflection on the role of art in contemporary society: “Culture does not exist separately from social and political reality, but helps shape how people interpret the world, their values, and their actions.”
Mondo Internazionale APS – All Rights Reserved ® 2026