"Dozens of artists announced their withdrawal from awards consideration the latest in a wave of protests surrounding the international art event that has historically celebrated the likes of Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, and Jackson Pollock. Laurie Anderson, Alfredo Jaar and Zoe Leonard are among the high-profile signatories who backed the statement of withdrawal, along with such national pavilions as France, Ecuador and the United Arab Emirates."
""We do so in solidarity with the resignation of the jury," the statement said, alluding to the mass resignation, on Apr. 30, of the entire five-member Biennale awards jury. The resignation of jury members Solange Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma and Giovanna Zapperi, occurred days after they announced they would not award prizes including the prestigious Golden Lion for best national pavilion to countries whose governments or leaders have been charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, including Israel and Russia."
"This year, the Biennale announced ticket-holders to the event will get to choose the winners through an anonymous email-voting process. Award recipients are expected to be announced on Nov. 22, the Biennale's closing day. Featuring work by hundreds of artists from across the globe, the prestigious event typically attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to a slew of national pavilions organized and partially funded by the participating countries' governments."
"The event has also been beset by multiple large, public demonstrations in the streets of Venice. On Thursday, the art collective Pussy Riot protested Russia's return to the art festival by storming the country's pavilion in bright pink balacl"
The 61st Venice Biennale opened amid geopolitical tensions that overshadowed the contemporary art on display. Dozens of artists announced they would withdraw from awards consideration, including high-profile signatories such as Laurie Anderson, Alfredo Jaar, and Zoe Leonard, along with national pavilions from France, Ecuador, and the United Arab Emirates. The withdrawal statement cited solidarity with the resignation of the awards jury. The entire five-member jury resigned after announcing they would not award prizes, including the Golden Lion, to countries whose governments or leaders face crimes against humanity charges by the International Criminal Court, including Israel and Russia. Ticket-holders were set to choose winners through anonymous email voting, with recipients expected to be announced on Nov. 22. Protests in Venice included Pussy Riot storming Russia’s pavilion in bright pink balaclavas.
Read at www.npr.org
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