The artist and curators representing Israel at this year's Venice Biennale announced they won't open the Israeli pavilion exhibition until there is a cease-fire in Gaza and an agreement to release hostages.
The decision of artist Rush Patir and curators Mira Lapidot and Tamar Margalit, was announced to the media on Tuesday, the first day of media previews, just days before the Biennale contemporary art fair opens Saturday. In their notice, they said that the video work “Keening,” attached to the exhibit can be seen through the pavilion window
Israel is among 88 national participants in the 60th Venice Biennale, which runs from April 20-Nov. 24. The exhibition in the Israeli Pavilion had been titled "Motherland" by artist Ruth Patir.
"The artist and curators of the Israeli pavilion will open the exhibition when a ceasefire and hostage release agreement is reached," their statement read. There was no immediate comment from the Biennale organizers.
Already, thousands of artists, curators and critics had signed an open letter calling on the Biennale to exclude the Israeli national pavilion from this year's show to protest Israel's war in Gaza. Italy's culture minister had firmly backed Israel's participation. Palestinian artists are participating in collateral events and will appear in the main show, titled "Foreigners Everywhere" curated by Adriano Pedrosa, the artistic director of Brazil's Sao Paulo Museum of Art.