Venice Biennale: Art Overshadowed by Protest and Media Frenzy

At the 2024 Venice Biennale, a media and political spectacle has overshadowed the art itself. During preview days, a Parisian gallerist announced a daily drone choir solidarity action for Gaza. On Wednesday, Pussy Riot and FEMEN staged a protest at the Russian Pavilion, with a PR agency distributing a statement and high-resolution photos, followed by the release of their new single 'Disobey' filmed at the Biennale—a tightly coordinated marketing campaign. A curator rushed past, avoiding being photographed near the Israeli Pavilion due to fear of Instagram backlash. A journalist from a renowned English-language publication lamented that his editors only want political stories and scandals, not reviews, and that he had barely seen any art. The Biennale, meant to showcase contemporary art, has become a platform for activism and click-driven media, leaving the art itself marginalized.