Yto Barrada Addresses French Pavilion Controversy Over Israel Stance at Venice Biennale

Artist Yto Barrada, selected to represent France at the 2026 Venice Biennale, has responded to criticism from a major French Jewish organization regarding her political views. The Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) called on the French government to pressure Barrada to withdraw her signature from an open letter advocating for Israel's exclusion from the Biennale. The letter, organized by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA), argues that Israeli actions threaten Palestinian culture. Barrada, a Paris-born artist of Moroccan heritage, was among over 200 signatories, which included representatives from several national pavilions and nearly a third of artists in the main exhibition curated by Koyo Kouoh. Barrada stated in an interview with Le Monde that French officials were fully aware of her position on Israel when they chose her. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has indicated no intention to intervene, and the Institut français confirmed the pavilion will proceed as scheduled, emphasizing respect for artistic freedom. Barrada's pavilion, titled 'Like Saturn,' will feature a large textile work using the devoré technique and opens to the public on May 9. This incident echoes previous controversy surrounding France's 2022 Biennale representative, Zineb Sedira, who faced similar allegations but whose pavilion was ultimately successful.