Italy’s culture minister has called for the resignation of the government’s representative on the board of the Venice Biennale, as a growing political dispute continues to eruope over Russia’s plans to reopen its pavilion at the 2026 exhibition in May.
In a statement this week, culture minister Alessandro Giuli said he had lost confidence in Tamara Gregoretti, who has served on the Biennale’s board since March 2024, accusing her of failing to alert the ministry to the possibility that Russia would participate. According to the ministry, Gregoretti “did not deem it necessary to announce the possible presence of the Russian Federation at the next Biennale,” despite the international sensitivity of the issue.
The controversy stems from last week’s announcement that Russia plans to reopen its national pavilion for the first time since 2019. The presentation, titled The Tree Is Rooted in the Sky, is being organized by curator Anastasia Karneeva and will feature more than 30 artists.
La Biennale di Venezia defended the decision when it unveiled its list of participating artists, saying the institution rejects “any form of exclusion or censorship of culture and art.” The organization added that the exhibition should remain “a place of dialogue, openness, and artistic freedom,” even as geopolitical tensions persist.
The move has quickly drawn criticism across Europe. Earlier this week, 22 European culture ministers signed a letter urging Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco to reconsider Russia’s participation, warning that giving the country a prominent cultural platform risks projecting an image of normalcy while the war in Ukraine continues.
European Union officials have also weighed in. In a joint statement, EU technology commissioner Henna Virkkunen and culture commissioner Glenn Micallef warned that the Biennale’s decision could put roughly €2 million in EU funding at risk, calling the move “not compatible with the EU’s collective response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.”
Pressure has also come from within the cultural sector. An online petition titled “Stop the Normalisation of War Crimes Through Art” has gathered more than 8,000 signatures, calling on artists and cultural workers to oppose the pavilion’s return.
Italian media outlets report that Gregoretti has so far shown no intention of stepping down. Meanwhile, the culture ministry has asked the Biennale for urgent clarification about how the Russian pavilion will be installed and managed, particularly in relation to the current sanctions regime.
