Amid Israel’s ongoing military offensive in the Gaza Strip, around 100 pro-Palestine activists staged a protest at the 60th Venice Biennale exhibition, demanding for the complete closure of Israeli pavilion at the event.
The protest took place on Wednesday, April 17, on the second preview day for the 2024 Venice Biennale exhibition titled “Strangers Everywhere”. The display officially opens on Saturday, April 20 with the participation of 331 artists from some 90 countries.
As of Tuesday, April 16 and Wednesday, April 17, Israeli pavilion was closed after Ruth Patir, the artist chosen to represent Israel at the Biennale said that it will remain closed until “a ceasefire and hostage release agreement” is reached between Hamas and Israel.
The protests were organized by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA), the international group of artists, art workers and activists.
The protestors gathered outside of the Israeli Pavilion in the Giardini and then made their way to other pavilions such as United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), French, and German, chanting “stop the genocide,” “shut it down,” and “viva Palestina.”
Outside the US pavilion, the protestors chanted, “Biden, Biden, you can’t hide! We charge you with genocide!” and “this is the real genocide pavilion”, while taking a stand against the killings in Palestine since October 7 last year by Israel.
The red fliers read “No Death in Venice. No to the Genocide Pavilion.”
“We call for a total boycott of the Genocide Pavilion and demand to SHUT IT DOWN in its entirety. We said NO window display when Israel is perpetrating genocide in Gaza,” ANGA wrote in a post on Instagram on Wednesday.
ANGA demands an end to the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, and an end to the apartheid and occupation of Palestine.
“I firmly object to the cultural boycott, but since I feel there are no right answers, and I can only do what I can with the space I have, I prefer to raise my voice with those I stand with in their scream,” Patir wrote on Instagram on Tuesday.
“Ceasefire now, bring the people back from captivity. We can’t take it anymore.”
The ANGA, has gained nearly 24,000 signatories since releasing an open letter in February calling for Israel to be excluded from participating in this year’s exhibition.
It states that “any official representation of Israel on the international cultural stage is an endorsement of its policies and of the genocide in Gaza.”
Since Hamas October 7 attack on Israel killed 1,200 and captured 240, leading to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, resulting in over 33,000 deaths.
