Trending Now - Venice Biennale Faces Turmoil Amid Controversial Participation
WHO:
ABC News - The jury of the Venice Biennale quit in protest.
ABC News - British artist Anish Kapoor commented on the situation.
ABC News - The late Koyo Kouoh was the first African woman chosen to curate the main Biennale exhibition.
ABC News - Co-curator Marie Helene Pereira spoke about Kouoh's legacy.
ABC News - Lubaina Himid, a Turner Prize winner, is featured in the British Pavilion.
ABC News - Rev. Ermanno Barucco is the prior of the Carmelite order.
ABC News - Romanian-born artist Belu-Simion Fainaru created an installation at the Biennale.
ABC News - Estonian artist Merike Estna is working on a wall painting during the Biennale.
WHAT:
AP News - The vote for the best national pavilion will be anonymous and conducted by email.
AP News - Ahead of the opening, protesters objecting to Israel’s participation clashed with police.
Observer - The Austrian pavilion's show titled “Seaworld Venice” tackles themes of purity and impurity, actions and consequences, and ecological catastrophe.
CNN - The U.S. and Russian pavilions had no queues during the preview days, and the Israeli building stood locked and empty.
Observer - The Venice Biennale is expected to feature over 100 artists and 99 nations, spread across 31 permanent national pavilions and additional exhibition spaces.
CNN - More than half a million people are expected to visit the Venice Biennale over the next six months.
CNN - The 61st edition of the Venice Biennale kicked off with packed crowds.
CNN - Qatar unveiled the first new Giardini pavilion in decades.
CNN - The European Commission threatened to pull a $2 million funding grant for the Biennale if organizers did not reverse their decision regarding Russia's participation by May 11.
ABC News - The Venice Biennale is opening its most chaotic and contested edition.
ABC News - The jury quit in protest of Israel’s and Russia’s participation.
ABC News - Visitors will vote for the best national pavilion from 100 participants.
ABC News - Winners will be announced on closing day, Nov. 22.
ABC News - The main curated show is titled “In Minor Keys.”
ABC News - A naked woman is part of a performance art piece outside the Austrian Pavilion.
ABC News - Fainaru's installation features water dripping from suspended tubes into a pool.
WHERE:
CNN - The Austrian pavilion is a white cube structure that first opened in the Giardini della Biennale in 1934.
ABC News - The Venice Biennale is located in Venice, Italy.
ABC News - The main train station in Venice is near the Mystic Gardens of the Discalced Carmelite order.
ABC News - The Giardini and Arsenale venues are part of the Biennale.
WHEN:
ABC News - The Venice Biennale opens on a Saturday.
ABC News - The closing day for the Biennale is Nov. 22.
WHY:
CNN - The decision to allow Russia back into the Biennale was met with significant backlash, including condemnation from the European Commission.
ABC News - The jury's protest was limited to countries under investigation by the International Criminal Court for human rights abuses.
ABC News - Anish Kapoor cited “the politics of hate and war” as a reason for the protests.
ABC News - Fainaru stated that the jury's exclusion of Israel is a form of discrimination.
HOW:
AP News - The jury's protest was limited to countries under investigation by the International Criminal Court for human rights abuses, with some suggesting the U.S. should have been included.
CNN - Inside the Austrian pavilion, visitors were encouraged to urinate in onsite toilets that filter and pump sanitized water back into a large aquarium tank where performers float for four hours at a time.
ABC News - The jury's actions were a protest against the participation of certain countries.
ABC News - Participants will vote in an Eurovision style for the best national pavilion.
(UPDATED May 9, 2026 17:14 UTC)
The Venice Biennale is set to showcase over 100 artists from 99 nations, featuring 31 permanent national pavilions along with additional exhibition spaces. Ahead of the opening, protests erupted against Israel’s participation, leading to clashes with police, while the U.S. and Russian pavilions saw no visitors during the preview days, and the Israeli pavilion remained locked and empty. In a unique twist, the vote for the best national pavilion will be conducted anonymously via email, reflecting a jury's protest focused on countries under investigation by the International Criminal Court for human rights abuses.
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(UPDATED May 9, 2026 09:20 UTC)
The 61st edition of the Venice Biennale has officially kicked off with packed crowds, and organizers expect more than half a million visitors over the next six months. Qatar has unveiled the first new Giardini pavilion in decades, while the European Commission has threatened to withdraw a $2 million funding grant if organizers do not reverse their decision regarding Russia's participation by May 11. Inside the Austrian pavilion, a unique installation invites visitors to use onsite toilets that filter and pump sanitized water back into a large aquarium tank where performers float for four hours at a time.
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(UPDATED May 9, 2026 07:36 UTC)
The Venice Biennale has opened its most chaotic and contested edition, with the jury resigning in protest against the participation of Israel and Russia, citing concerns over human rights abuses. British artist Anish Kapoor and Romanian-born artist Belu-Simion Fainaru have both commented on the situation, with Fainaru describing the jury's exclusion of Israel as a form of discrimination. Visitors will have the opportunity to vote for the best national pavilion from 100 participants, with winners set to be announced on closing day, November 22.