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Italy’s Culture Minister Demands Resignation of Biennale Official Over Russia Pavilion Dispute
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Italy’s culture minister has called for the resignation of the government’s representative on the board of the Venice Biennale amid a political dispute over Russia’s plans to reopen its pavilion at the 2026 exhibition.
This was reported by Artnews on March 15.
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In a statement released last week, Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said he had lost confidence in Tamara Gregoretti, who has served on the Biennale’s board since March 2024. He accused her of failing to inform the ministry in advance about the possibility that Russia could take part in the upcoming event.
According to the ministry, Gregoretti “did not deem it necessary to announce the possible presence of the Russian Federation at the next Biennale,” despite the political sensitivity surrounding Russia’s participation.
On March 5, it was announced that Russia was set to participate in the Venice Biennale for the first time since 2022, marking its return to one of the world’s most influential international art exhibitions.
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The official list of national pavilions published on the Biennale’s website includes a Russian project titled The Tree is Rooted in the Sky.
Ukraine’s cultural community has reacted to the announcement, noting that Moscow has been trying in recent years to regain access to major international art platforms. Speaking on Radio Culture on March 5, Ksenia Malykh, co-curator of the Ukrainian pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, said Russia has used various channels to restore its presence in global cultural events.
Reports have also drawn attention to the appointment of Anastasia Karneeva as commissioner of the Russian pavilion. Karneeva is described as having close connections to senior political circles in Russia. She is co-founder of the Smart Art company and the daughter of retired general Nikolai Volobuev, and has been involved for years in promoting Russian contemporary art abroad.
Karneeva previously headed the Russian branch of the auction house Christie’s and worked on international projects showcasing Russian artists, including collaborations with Ekaterina Vinokurova.
Meanwhile, culture and foreign ministers from 22 European countries have called for Russia to be excluded from the upcoming 61st Venice Biennale.
The initiative to block Moscow’s participation in the major international art exhibition was led by Latvian Culture Minister Agnese Lāce. Within a few days, the proposal gained support from senior officials across Europe, forming a joint position backed by representatives from France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Ukraine.
-11e665063e76a66766c03f9e5d3a629a.jpg "Thai M42 Duster air defense system with anti-drone protection, 2026. (Source: Btvt.info)")
-111f0e5095e02c02446ffed57bfb0ab1.jpeg "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
