On the opening day of the Venice Biennale, the world's oldest international art exhibition, Russian punk collective Pussy Riot and Ukrainian feminist group FEMEN staged a joint protest against Russia's participation. The activists gathered near the Giardini della Biennale, holding banners that read 'Blood is Russia's art' and chanting slogans condemning the Kremlin's ongoing war in Ukraine.
The protest highlights a deepening cultural divide as Russia returns to the Biennale after a two-year absence. The country's pavilion, located in the Giardini, features works that critics argue whitewash Moscow's military aggression. Pussy Riot, known for their anti-Putin activism, and FEMEN, which originated in Kyiv, called for a complete cultural boycott of Russian state-sponsored events until the war ends.
Cultural Boycott and European Solidarity
The demonstration comes amid broader European efforts to isolate Russia culturally. Several EU member states, including Poland and the Baltic nations, have refused to host Russian cultural events since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. The Venice Biennale, which draws artists and visitors from across the continent, has become a focal point for these tensions.
In a statement, Pussy Riot member Nadya Tolokonnikova said: 'The Biennale should not be a platform for a regime that bombs hospitals and schools. Every brushstroke of Russian state art is paid for with Ukrainian blood.' FEMEN activists, who bared their chests with painted slogans, were quickly removed by Italian police but later released.
The protest also resonated with other European artists. A group of Scandinavian curators issued a joint letter urging the Biennale's organizers to reconsider Russia's participation, arguing that it legitimizes a government under international sanctions. The Biennale's president, Roberto Cicutto, defended the inclusion, stating that the event remains apolitical and focused on artistic merit.
Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine continues to escalate. Russian drone strikes hit a residential area in Kharkiv just days before the Biennale opening, killing at least five civilians. Such attacks have intensified across eastern Ukraine, with guided bombs killing 26 people in Zaporizhzhia and Kramatorsk last week alone.
The cultural dimension of the conflict has also seen European institutions take a stand. The International Olympic Committee recently ended restrictions on Belarusian athletes while maintaining a ban on Russian competitors, a decision that drew criticism from Kyiv. In the art world, the Biennale remains a key battleground for public opinion.
FEMEN co-founder Anna Hutsol, speaking from Paris, said: 'We are here to remind Europe that art cannot be separated from politics when artists are being killed and museums are bombed. Russia's pavilion is a lie.' The group has called on European cultural institutions to sever ties with Russian state-funded organizations until a ceasefire is reached.
The protest also drew attention to the plight of Ukrainian artists. Many have fled the country or are unable to exhibit due to the war. The Ukrainian pavilion at the Biennale, curated by a team based in Kyiv, features works that document the human cost of the conflict, including photographs of destroyed cultural heritage sites.
As the Biennale continues through November, the debate over Russia's role in European culture is unlikely to fade. With Ukraine accusing Russia of breaking a proposed ceasefire with drone and missile attacks, the protest in Venice serves as a stark reminder that art and war remain intertwined on the continent.
