Triennale Milano Confirms Ukraine Pavilion, Revokes Russia Invitation for 23rd International Exhibition

In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Triennale Milano has revoked its invitation to the Russian government to participate in the 23rd International Exhibition, while explicitly confirming the presence of the Ukraine Pavilion. The exhibition, titled "Unknown Unknowns. An Introduction to Mysteries," opens in early summer 2022. Triennale president Stefano Boeri announced the decision on social media, citing the "mad, violent and unjustified aggressiveness of the Russian army." A dedicated platform called Planeta Ukrain will be created, curated by writer Gianluigi Ricuperati, actress Lidiya Liberman, and pianist Anastasia Stovbyr. The first event is scheduled for March 9, 2022, featuring Ukrainian intellectuals including philosopher Mihail Mirakov, curator Katia Kabalina, political scientist Katerina Pischickova, journalist Anna Zafesova, artist Yevgenia Belorusets, historian Konstantin Sigov, pianist Antonii Baryshevskyi, Anna Gadetska (Program Director Open Opera Ukraine), and Albert Saprykin (Co-Founder & Head Kyiv Contemporary Music Days). The program is open to external contributions via email. Boeri stated that Triennale aims to serve as a receiving and transmitting antenna between events in Ukraine and Ukrainian cultural voices in Italy and worldwide, facilitating exchange threatened by war. The move follows the withdrawal of the Russia Pavilion from the 56th Venice Biennale and the suspension of work on the Ukrainian Pavilion there.