Russia returns to Venice Biennale, but officials say it "never left"

Russia will reopen its pavilion and take part in the Venice Biennale this year for the first time since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Biennale team has not yet commented on the pavilion's reopening and has stressed that the full list of participating countries will be announced on 4 March.

Source: ArtNews

Details: Mikhail Shvydkoi, Russia's delegate for international cultural exchanges and the country's former culture minister, confirmed on 3 March that the Russian pavilion will open in May 2026.

Quote from Shvydkoi: "I would like to note that Russia never left the Venice Biennale. The very presence of our pavilion – regardless of what takes place there, whether exhibitions by our Latin American friends or the hosting of an educational centre for the entire Biennale – means the presence of our country in Venice's cultural space. Therefore, since we have not gone anywhere, we are not 'returning'. We are simply seeking new forms of creative activity in the current circumstances."

Details: More than 50 young musicians, poets and philosophers from Russia and other countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Mali and Mexico, will be involved in the pavilion.

Quote from Shvydkoy: "This is further proof that Russian culture is not isolated, and that attempts to 'cancel' it – undertaken for the past four years by Western political elites – have not succeeded. That is precisely why we decided to create a project in which a multilingual polyphony of cultures will be heard – cultures that do not consider themselves peripheral in relation to the West."

Details: The exhibition is titled "The Tree is Rooted in the Sky", and one of its themes will focus on the idea that "politics exist within temporary dimensions, whereas cultures communicate in eternity". Shvydkoi added that "in our new project, eternity prevails over momentary concerns, culture over politics… unfortunately, not everyone is capable of understanding this". The organisers claim that the exhibition aims to present different cultures in order to strengthen "a sense of international community".

Shvydkoi told ArtNews that the Biennale's leadership has shown that it is willing to seek a compromise to keep the pavilion open.

"Various sanctions may be devised, and official Western institutions may be prohibited from working with us, but no one can deprive Russia of the right to artistic self-expression," he said.

ARTnews contacted the Venice Biennale for comment on the reopening of the Russian pavilion. Cristiana Costanzo, the Biennale's head of press and media relations, wrote in an email, "As a general premise, La Biennale di Venezia does not decide on national participation; countries themselves choose whether to take part. I would like to inform you that La Biennale is finalising all elements of the list, which will be announced on 4 March."

Background:

• In February 2022, Russian artists Kirill Savchenkov and Alexandra Sukhareva, together with Lithuanian curator Raimundas Malašauskas, withdrew from the pavilion at the Biennale, citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They described the war as "politically and emotionally unbearable" and stated that "there is no place for art" in conditions of conflict.
• At the 2024 Venice Biennale, Russia lent its pavilion in the Giardini to Bolivia for the 60th anniversary exhibition.

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