Khaled Sabsabi’s Rocky Road From Australia to the Biennale

The Lebanese-Australian artist almost lost his Venice Biennale commission after he was accused of supporting terrorism. Reinstated, he is arriving in Venice showing not one but two works.

By Will Higginbotham

Russia pavilion drags Venice Biennale into EU sanctions row

Brussels has warned that allowing Moscow to participate would breach ban on providing services to Kremlin

Pussy Riot protest at Venice Biennale forces Russian pavilion to briefly close

Demonstrators, angered by Russia’s inclusion at arts festival, shouted ‘Curated by Putin, dead bodies included’ The Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale was forced to temporarily shutter its doors on the second day of the preview after the activist group Pussy Riot staged a chaotic protest against the country’s inclusion in the art festival. Wearing pink balaclavas, the protesters ran towards the Russian pavilion where they gathered outside and lit pink, blue and yellow flares while playin...

By Lanre Bakare in Venice

Protests erupt over Israeli settlement sales in New York

Hundreds protested outside an Israeli real estate event linked to settlement sales in the occupied West Bank.

Zelenskyy: Even Russia’s main parade now depends on Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russia has not stopped its military activity despite receiving a clear proposal for a ceasefire and a move to diplomacy, so Ukraine will act in kind based on the situation overnight and on 7 May.

By VALENTYNA ROMANENKO

Venice Biennale: Boycotts and threats over participation of Russia & Israel

The Venice Biennale previewed its 61st and most chaotic edition ever on Tuesday, just days after the unprecedented resignation of its jury over the participation of Israel and Russia undermined the very structure of the world’s oldest contemporary art exhibition.

By FRANCE24

Venice Biennale previews in chaos after jury quits over Israel and Russia’s participation

The Venice Biennale has begun previewing its 61st edition only days after the art show's jury resigned in protest

By Colleen Barry

Pussy Riot Stage Protest Against Russian Pavilion at Venice Biennale Art Exhibition

Russian feminist protest music and performance art group Pussy Riot and members of Ukrainian feminist organisation FEMEN on Wed. staged a protest attempting to block the opening of the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale art exhibition. Screaming slogans such as “Russia’s art is blood” and “Enjoy the Show – Ignore the War” and performing […]

By Nvivarelli

Pussy Riot & FEMEN Storm Russian Pavilion At Venice Biennale

More than 50 members of anti-Putin activist group Pussy Riot stormed the Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition on Wednesday in their first-ever joint protest with Ukrainian feminist group FEMEN. The action comes amid a backlash against a decision by the Venice Biennale – which also oversees the Venice Film Festival in […]

By Melanie Goodfellow

Singaporean performance artist Amanda Heng presents 'A Pause' at 61st Venice Biennale

Held every two years, this edition of the biennale will run from May 9 to Nov 22.

Our only veto is against preventative exclusion says Venice Biennale chief

(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 6 - Venice Biennale Foundation President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco said Wednesday that the only thing the event will not allow is "preventative exclusion" amid a huge row over the reopening of the Russian pavilion at the lagoon city's 61st art exhibition. "We don't intend to barter away 30 years of history that have always described the world in this way," Pietrangelo Buttafuoco said to applause at a press conference at the Piccolo Arsenale theatre, with the exhibition opening...

By ANSA

European Commission warns Italy that Russia’s Venice Biennale pavilion violates sanctions, Financial Times reports

The European Commission has warned the Italian government and the organizers of the Venice Biennale that opening Russia’s national pavilion at the exhibition violates the sanctions regime, breaching the ban on providing services to the Kremlin, the Financial Times reported.

Venice Biennale opens with protests over Israeli inclusion

An international coalition of artists and cultural figures has ramped up efforts to block Israel’s participation in the upcoming Venice Biennale. 'On 17 March 2026, ANGA (Art Not...

'So where are the children?' An interview with painter Merike Estna

Estonian artist Merike Estna, selected in the fall of 2024 to represent Estonia at the 61st Venice Art Biennale, discusses her upcoming monumental exhibition, her pursuit of painting and parenthood.