"Several pallets, piled high with cases of prosecco and a few boxes of good old English Gordon's gin, had been delivered outside. Inside, Ensemble Toloka, a group of young folk performers and professional researchers of Russian authentic music, were singing, balalaikas at their feet, the first in a programme of performances staged for the preview days of the art festival. Later, I saw DJs at the decks and a handful of people dancing."
"At pretty much the same time, the city centre of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine was being bombed in broad daylight six dead. You have to hand it to Russia. It had much to celebrate with that prosecco. After a hiatus since 2022 it is back at the world's most prominent art festival, where a huge central exhibition organised by an invited curator is accompanied by dozens of shows staged by countries in national pavilions."
"The president of the biennale, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco a controversial rightwing intellectual appointed by Giorgia Meloni's government has supported Russia's return, as well as the continued presence of Israel, despite multiple appeals and open letters, some of which have also demanded the exclusion of the US. The only thing he will veto, he has said, is any preemptive ban on participation. The stance is supposedly one of neutrality."
"correspondence obtained by La Repubblica appears to show biennale managers aiding Russian participants in efforts to obtain visas, and the pavilion's commissioner, Anastasia Karneeva, has lavishly thanked our Italian friends in a social-media post."
The Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale hosted performances by young folk musicians and researchers, with singing and balalaikas, alongside deliveries of prosecco and gin. DJs and dancing appeared during preview days. Criticism followed, linking the pavilion’s celebration to ongoing bombings in eastern Ukraine and alleged war crimes. Russia’s return after a hiatus since 2022 brought attention to the biennale’s central exhibition and national pavilions. Protests, including Pussy Riot’s intervention, kept the focus on participation. The biennale president supported Russia’s presence and Israel’s continued presence, while claiming neutrality and opposing preemptive bans. Correspondence reported by La Repubblica alleged assistance to Russian participants in obtaining visas, and the pavilion commissioner publicly thanked Italian supporters.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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