Scandal surrounding the Biennale: Brussels opposes Russian pavilion
11 March 12:50
European Commission Vice-President Henn Virkunen and European Commissioner for Intergenerational Justice, Youth, Culture, and Sport Glenn Micalluf have stated that they may stop funding the Venice Biennale.
The reason for this was the decision of the Biennale Foundation to allow Russia to open a national pavilion at this year’s exhibition — for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The joint statement by the officials was published on the European Commission’s website, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
The EU says culture should not be a tool for propaganda
Brussels emphasized that the European Union has a clear position on Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The statement says that culture should:
- protect democratic values
- promote open dialogue
- support diversity and freedom of speech.
At the same time, it should not be used as a platform for political propaganda.
That is why the decision to allow Russia to participate in the exhibition was called contrary to the EU’s collective position on Russian aggression.
The European Commission may stop funding
If the exhibition organizers do not reconsider their decision, the European Commission will consider further steps.
Possible options include:
- suspension of grants
- or complete cessation of funding for the Biennale Foundation.
In this way, Brussels has effectively forced the organizers to choose between EU financial support and the participation of the Russian pavilion.
Russia’s return after the start of the war
The Venice Biennale is one of the most prestigious contemporary art exhibitions in the world, held every two years in Venice.
It includes:
- an international curated exhibition
- dozens of national pavilions.
Until 2022, Russia was a regular participant in the Biennale. However, its exhibition was canceled on February 27, 2022, a few days after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Now the country plans to return to the exhibition with the project “The tree is rooted in the sky.”
Arguments of the Russian side
Former Russian Minister of Culture and delegate for international cultural exchanges Mikhail Shvidkoy said that one of the messages of the Russian pavilion is the separation of culture from politics.
According to him, “politics exists in temporary dimensions, while cultures communicate in eternity.”
However, the European Union believes that in the context of war, such arguments cannot justify the participation of an aggressor state in international cultural platforms.
