The green light for Russian artists to participate in the Venice Biennale has not gone down well. Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli has called for the resignation of Tamara Gregoretti , the MIC representative on the Biennale's Board of Directors.

The Ministry itself announced the news in an official statement: "Gregoretti, appointed to the Board of Directors of the Venetian Foundation on March 13, 2024, did not deem it necessary to announce the Russian Federation's possible presence at the next Biennale, nor did she subsequently express her support for its participation, despite being aware of the international sensitivity of the issue."

Gregoretti herself had expressed herself in favor of reopening the Russian Pavilion, in total disagreement with the position of Minister Giuli, who was against the decision of the president of the Biennale ( Pietrangelo Buttafuoco ) to welcome Moscow, after a suspension that had lasted for 4 years.

The mayor of Venice , Luigi Brugnaro , also expressed his opinion on the issue in recent days, during the presentation of the collaboration agreement for the "Polo del Mare" at the Arsenale. "The Biennale is an independent and free institution. We live in a democracy, not a dictatorship. We are for Ukraine without any ifs or buts. There is Ukraine, an attacked state, and there is an aggressor state. The Russian people are another matter, with whom we are not at war . Venice is a place of freedom. We cannot act like dictatorships, because we are a democracy. In a place of culture, we must listen and engage in dialogue. They say that 'whoever touches the sea, touches the world.' Ours is absolutely not a partisan political choice , but rather a choice we claim in defense of democracy, our democracy."

"I am calm and have no intention of resigning, as I am certain that I will act in compliance with the Statute of the Venice Biennale and the autonomy of the institution," Gregoretti replied.

(Unioneonline/ns)

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