Historic Strike Disrupts Biennale as Thousands March in Venice

VENICE – Artists and cultural workers made history at the Venice Biennale today as they launched a major strike that disrupted the pre-opening of the international exhibition. It is the first cultural strike in the biennale’s 131-year history.

At least 27 of the exhibition’s 100 national pavilions were partially or fully shut down this morning, May 8, while artists draped or altered their works in the main exhibition In Minor Keys as part of a 24-hour strike for Palestine and for workers’ rights. The Arsenale complex, one of the two exhibition venues, was shuttered in advance of the protest.

Beginning at 4:30pm, a massive protest timed with the strike saw thousands of people marching on Via Garibaldi to the Arsenale, filling the city’s streets with Palestinian flags and banners. Upon arrival, they found the Arsenale completely shut down and barricaded by Italian riot police.

“I come from a family of genocide survivors, and genocide is personal, but also anyone, I think, with a moral conscience, should realize that what is happening is a genocide and should stand against it in whatever way they can,” artist Nina Katchadourian, whose work is included in the Biennale’s main exhibition, told Hyperallergic.

“So I’m doing a tiny piece today by deciding to mark my own work with a sign of solidarity and show up to this march,” she said.

Signs in today’s march (photo Hrag Vartanian/Hyperallergic) A banner decries Israel’s participation in the Venice Biennale. (photo Hrag Vartanian/Hyperallergic)

Mohammad Joha, a Gaza-born artist based in Marseilles, is another one of the artists in the main exhibition. His mother was killed in her sleep when an Israeli air strike hit their home, he told Hyperallergic. His sister was killed, too. The family also lost 10 children. 

“Art should not be a cover for genocide,” said at the protest. “I’m calling on all artists to rise up and resist art washing of mass murder.” 

Police block the Arsenale entrance. (photo Hakim Bishara/Hyperallergic)

Dozens of police officers blocked the entrance to the Arsenale as marchers approached the complex, where Israel’s temporary pavilion is located. A tense standoff ensued when protesters attempted to enter the Arsenale, raising their arms in the air to avoid touching police. Police beat back protesters using batons and blocked them with their shields.

Today’s strike is the outcome of months of organizing by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) together with local activist groups including Sale Docks, Mi Riconosci?, and Biennalocene. At least three Italian unions joined the strike, guaranteeing protection to striking members.

Crowds can be seen marching in Venice. (photo Hrag Vartanian/Hyperallergic)

The fully or partially shuttered pavilions include Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Iceland, Italy (performers only), Ireland, Japan (performers only), Korea, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Catalonia, Cyprus, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey.

“No artist or cultural worker should be asked to share a platform with a state perpetrating genocide,” the striking parties said in a joint statement today. They noted that the strike is also an expression of workers’ indignation over “appalling” labor conditions in the cultural sector.

The Belgian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale closed on May 8 as part of cultural workers’ strike for Palestine. (photo Hrag Vartanian/Hyperallergic) Spain’s pavilion closed during the strike. (photo Hrag Vartanian/Hyperallergic)

Among the artists striking and marching today was Gabrielle Goliath, whose exhibition for South Africa’s national pavilion was abruptly pulled by the country’s government. The presentation, which is based on her long-running performance project Elegy and mourns victims of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, found an alternative home at the Chiesa di Sant’Antonin in Castello.

“It was an experience prefaced with violent cancellation,” Goliath told Hyperallergic at the march.

“But what followed was a massive outpouring of support, and the independent exhibition that’s happening here in Venice would not have been possible without the rallying of so many supporters and allies, courageous allies,” she said.

The Netherlands pavilion also shuttered during the strike. (photo Hrag Vartanian/Hyperallergic) Members of Taring Padi, the collective whose work was covered up in Documenta 15, hold up their signs at today’s march. (photo Hakim Bishara/Hyperallergic)The massive march on May 8 (photo Hrag Vartanian/Hyperallergic)

Members of the art world class who were roaming the Giardini to see and be seen were welcomed with shuttred pavilions and statements such as, “We stand with Palestine because we know by now that the destruction of Palestine is the destruction of the world.”

British pavilion’s relatively neutral statement (image courtesy ANGA)

The Belgian pavilion blocked its entrance with a row of white plaques with the word “STOP.”

The Japanese Pavilion posted a statement on its steps that partially reads, “No artwashing. No genocide pavilion.”

“Genocide pavilion” refers to the Israeli pavilion in the activists’ parlance.

The British Pavilion was also closed today, but it posted a more neutral statement attributing the closure to “the Italian cultural workers’ strike.”

The Dutch pavilion’s artists are striking over Israel’s participation. (photo Avedis Hadjian/Hyperallergic) French Guianese artist Tabita Rezaire altered her installation to include several Palestinian flags. (photo Hrag Vartanian/Hyperallergic)

At the Arsenale section of In Minor Keys, the Biennale’s main exhibition, French Guianese artist Tabita Rezaire altered her installation Omo Elu and Mother Trinity (2024) to include several Palestinian flags. Chilean artist Alfredo Jaar displayed a poster that reads “Palestine is the future of the world.”

The strike follows a loud but peaceful demonstration in front of the Israeli pavilion on Wednesday, May 6, joined by hundreds.

“The Biennale and the Italian government continue to support Netanyahu’s government,” said ANGA in a statement, and wondered: “Why is the red carpet being rolled out for a state responsible for genocide, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing?”

Editor’s note: This is a developing story. Check back for updates to this article as the event unfolds.