Ukraine Suspends Preparations for Venice Biennale Pavilion Amid Russian Invasion

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, has forced the Ukrainian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale to suspend preparations. Artist Pavlo Makov and curators Lizaveta German, Maira Lanko, and Borys Filonenko announced on Instagram that they have halted work on the exhibition, citing danger to their lives. The team is scattered across Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Lviv, with one member abroad. International flights from Ukraine are canceled, making travel impossible. The statement emphasizes that this decision is personal and does not reflect the position of Ukraine's Ministry of Culture and Information Policy. The team remains determined to represent Ukraine at the Biennale, scheduled from April 23 to November 27, 2022, but cannot confirm completion. They appeal to the international art community to use its influence to stop the invasion. The pavilion was to feature Pavlo Makov's 1995 work 'The Fountain of Exhaustion,' a sculptural installation with bronze funnels from which water flows. The artwork was ready for shipment to Venice but is now blocked due to the war and flight bans. The team vows to do everything possible to save the unique piece for the international contemporary art scene.