Iran has dropped out of the Venice Biennale, the world’s most important recurring art exhibition, as the United States and Israel’s war continues on.
“Regarding the National Participations at the 61st International Art Exhibition, In Minor Keys by Koyo Kouoh (9 May – 22 November 2026), La Biennale has been informed that the Islamic Republic of Iran will not participate,” the Biennale said in a statement, noting that there are now an even 100 countries with pavilions in the show instead of 101.
The Biennale did not state why Iran would no longer mount a pavilion. On the exhibition’s website, Iran is the only nation listed without any artist representatives. Aydin Mahdizadeh Tehrani is listed as the pavilion’s commissioner.
It is the latest wrench thrown into the Biennale, which opens this week to press amid a firestorm of controversy. Last week, the Biennale abruptly lost its jury, which said in a statement that it had resigned. Previously, that five-person jury had said it would not consider any nations that had been charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, a stipulation that would knock both Israel and Russia out of contention for the Golden Lion awards.
With no jury present to give out those prizes, the Biennale said the awards would this time be selected by a public vote.
Meanwhile, Israel and Russia’s pavilions have generated widespread controversy, with politicians, artists, and even participants in Koyo Kouoh’s main exhibition urging the Biennale to exclude both nations from the show. The Biennale has claimed it does not have the power to remove a country recognized as a state within Italy.
