The Markaz Review:

Since October 7, 2023, more than ever before, Palestinian and pro-Palestinian writers, artists and academics have been shut down across the spectrum in the United States and Europe. Now a coalition of artists is calling for the Venice Biennale’s Israeli pavilion to be canceled. In fact, Palestine has never had its own pavilion at the Biennale, since Italy does not recognize it as a nation.

By Hadani Ditmars

The newly formed Art Not Genocide Alliance has called on the Venice Biennale to shut down the Israel pavilion in the upcoming biennale scheduled for April 20 through November 24, 2024.

ANGA is a collective of international artists, curators, writers, and cultural workers who remain anonymous to protect themselves from attacks by the pro-Israel lobby. The group initiated the petition that now has over 22,000 signatures, which include Nan Goldin, Michael Rakowitz and Tariq Ali, as well as 471 past participants in the Venice Biennale.

Their letter begins, “We, the undersigned, call for the exclusion of Israel from the Venice Biennale. As the art world readies itself to visit the Giardini’s nation-state diorama, we say platforming art representing a state engaged in ongoing atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza is unacceptable. No Genocide Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.”

The letter cites the recent decision by the International Court of Justice, that “Israel is plausibly committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza,” and its issuing of interim measures warning Israel to cease any acts of genocide in Gaza as fodder for the petition.

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