Biennale's Invisible Pavilion: Venice hosts project honouring Ukrainian artists killed by Russia

The Association of Ukrainian Organisations in Italy has launched a project honouring Ukrainian cultural figures killed by Russia – the Invisible Pavilion – ahead of the opening of the Venice Biennale.

Source: journalist Zoya Zvynyatskivska on Facebook

Details: Posters have been placed around the city, consisting of "artistic events of an imaginary, non-existent parallel Biennale programme that could have taken place – had the artists participating in it been alive. Had they not been killed by Russia," the journalist writes.

The programme includes a reading with Viktoriia Amelina, a writer killed in a missile strike on Kramatorsk; a presentation of a children's book by Volodymyr Vakulenko, a writer tortured and killed by Russians during the occupation of Kharkiv Oblast; a discussion with Ihor Malakhov, a film director killed near Avdiivka; and a poetry reading with Nika Kozhushko, who was killed during a strike on Kharkiv.

However, each announcement carries a stamp reading "Cancelled! The author was killed by Russia" and a QR code linking to a PEN website showing how many Ukrainian cultural figures have died as a result of the Russian aggression.

Zvynyatskivska says a large number of the posters have been placed on Via Garibaldi, which is as close as possible to the entrance to the Venice Biennale. Posters have also been placed at the beginning of the street on the embankment.

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