Venice Biennale strike: 18 pavilions close in protest against Israel's participation
On May 8, a strike by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) led to the temporary or partial closure of more than 15 national pavilions at the Venice Biennale, protesting Israel's involvement and labor practices. Approximately 18 pavilions, such as those from Austria, Lebanon, Slovenia, Egypt, Poland, and the Netherlands, took part. Dries Verhoeven from the Netherlands showcased a Palestinian flag, drawing parallels between the boycott and South Africa's apartheid. Poland's pavilion was closed from 4 to 7 PM, with commissioner Agniescka Pindera advocating for a revision of participation guidelines. While Japan's pavilion remained open, it halted interactive features. The strike, endorsed by Italian trade unions, follows a March letter from over 200 participants requesting the cancellation of the Israeli pavilion. Russia's pavilion is set to close after its public opening on May 9.
Key facts
- Strike on 8 May 2026 at Venice Biennale
- Organized by Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA)
- Around 18 pavilions closed fully or partially
- Participating countries: Austria, Lebanon, Slovenia, Egypt, Poland, Netherlands
- Netherlands artist Dries Verhoeven protested with Palestinian flag
- Poland pavilion closed 4-7pm
- Japan pavilion suspended interactive elements
- Backed by Italian trade unions ADL Cobas, Unione Sindacale di Base, Confederazione Unitaria di Base
- ANGA demands end to Israel's normalization in culture
- Also protests precarious labor conditions
- Follows March open letter signed by 200+ participants
- Prize jury resigned last month over Russia and Israel
- Russia pavilion to close after public opening on 9 May
- EU warned Biennale may breach sanctions over Russia
- Israel represented by Belu-Simion Fainaru
- Rally on Via Garibaldi scheduled for afternoon
Entities
Artists
- Dries Verhoeven
- Hadar Ophir
- Armen Agop
- Belu-Simion Fainaru
- Diaki Kone
- Agniescka Pindera
- Florentina Holzinger
- Charles Esche
- Pussy Riot
- Zhanna Kadyrova
- Dries Verhoven
- Diane Mahin
- Miet Warlop
- Tori Wrånes
- Klara Kristalova
- Benjamin Orlow
- Ei Arakawa-Nash
- Oriol Vilanova
- Lubaina Himid
- Yto Barrada
- Nonument Group
- Eglė Budvytytė
- Sara Flores
- Tegene Kumbi
- Ayan Farah
- Asmaa Jama
- Warsan Shire
- Gabrielle Goliath
- Ipeleng Christine Moholane
- Heba Abunada
- Tabita Rezaire
- Belu Simion Făinaru
- Chiara Camoni
- Hagar Ophir
- Agnieszka Pindera
Institutions
- Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA)
- Venice Biennale
- La Biennale di Venezia
- European Union (EU)
- Associazione Difesa Lavoratori (ADL Cobas)
- Unione Sindacale di Base
- Confederazione Unitaria di Base
- The Art Newspaper
- Institute of Radical Imagination
- Sale Docks
- ANGA – Art Not Genocide Alliance
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
- EU
- Austrian pavilion
- Dutch pavilion
- Belgian pavilion
- Nordic pavilion
- Japanese pavilion
- Spanish pavilion
- British pavilion
- French pavilion
- Slovenian pavilion
- Lithuanian pavilion
- Peruvian pavilion
- South African pavilion
- Egyptian pavilion
- Moroccan pavilion
- Congolese pavilion
- Ethiopian pavilion
- Somali pavilion
- Ukrainian pavilion
- Israeli pavilion
- Russian pavilion
- USA pavilion
- Qatar pavilion
- Chiesa di Sant'Antonin
- Scuola Grande di San Marco
- Palazzo Bollani
- Palazzo Caboto
- White Cube
- Art Not Genocide Alliance (Anga)
- Pussy Riot
- Macedonian pavilion
- Korean pavilion
- Finnish pavilion
- Luxembourg pavilion
- The Guardian
- Austrian Pavilion
- Belgian Pavilion
- Egyptian Pavilion
- Japanese Pavilion
- Netherlands Pavilion
- South Korean Pavilion
- Israeli Pavilion
- ANGA (Art Not Genocide Alliance)
- Biennalocene
- Mi Riconosci
- Vogliamo Tutt’altro
- USB Veneto
- Adl Cobas
- Fondazione La Biennale
- DGCC (Direzione di Creatività Contemporanea)
- exibart.es
- ADL Cobas
- 61st Venice Biennale
- Arsenale
- Giardini
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Arsenale
- Giardini
- Via Garibaldi
- Austria
- Lebanon
- Slovenia
- Egypt
- Poland
- Netherlands
- Israel
- Russia
- South Africa
- Haifa
- Mali
- France
- Japan
- Finland
- Iceland
- Denmark
- Nordic countries
- Palestine
- Ukraine
- Pokrovsk
- Belgium
- Norway
- Sweden
- Lithuania
- Peru
- Morocco
- Congo
- Ethiopia
- Somalia
- Qatar
- Namibia
- Khan Younis
- Gaza
- Johannesburg
- Calle Garibaldi