Artists’ Strike Closes Pavilions at Venice Biennale, Adding to Upheaval
nytimes.com • • world
Key Points:
- Several major artists at the Venice Biennale protested Israel’s participation by closing their exhibitions, including Austria, Belgium, Egypt, Japan, the Netherlands, and South Korea.
- Austria’s pavilion, featuring Florentina Holzinger’s performance “Seaworld Venice,” was closed with a sign stating some team members joined the strike.
- Some pavilions displayed signs expressing solidarity with Palestine, while Britain’s exhibition closure was due to a separate strike by Italian cultural workers.
- The Biennale’s main exhibition “In Minor Keys” remained open, though some artists displayed Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian posters.
- The strike marks a significant disruption to the Venice Biennale, which is set to open to the public on Saturday and continue through November 22.
