The jury of the Venice Biennale said it will not consider artists from countries whose leaders face charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC), an apparent reference to Russia and Israel.
In a statement, the five-member jury said the decision was guided by a commitment “to the defense of human rights,” as it prepares to select winners of the Golden and Silver Lion awards among more than 100 participants, according to Reuters on Thursday, April 23.
The jury did not explicitly name the countries, but the ICC has issued arrest warrants for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin over child abduction in Ukraine and for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
The move comes amid mounting controversy over the Biennale’s decision to allow Russia to reopen its national pavilion, reversing its exclusion following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The decision has drawn criticism from European officials and governments, including Italy.
The European Commission said it could suspend or terminate a €2 million ($2.7 million) grant to the Biennale over its decision to allow Russia to participate again, giving organizers 30 days to respond.
In March, the European Commission issued a similar warning.
More than 6,000 artists, academics, curators, journalists and political figures signed an open letter at the time urging the leadership of the Venice Biennale to “address the implications” of allowing Russia to participate.
Italy’s government has also come out in opposition to the Biennale’s move, saying it was made “entirely independently” of Rome’s wishes. Ukraine has also protested the decision.
The Biennale said the jury operates independently and described the decision as an expression of artistic autonomy.
Russia was widely excluded from major cultural and international events in Europe after launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as part of broader efforts to isolate Moscow diplomatically and culturally.
The debate over Russia’s participation in global cultural platforms has intensified in recent months, as some institutions have reconsidered restrictions while others have maintained strict bans.