Artist Delays Opening of Israeli Pavilion at Venice Biennale Until Gaza Ceasefire, Hostages Released

The artist and curators representing Israel at the 60th Venice Biennale announced on Tuesday their decision not to open the nation’s pavilion until the Jewish state and Hamas sign an agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization during its attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7.

A sign sharing the news was displayed in the window of the Israeli national pavilion on the first day of media previews for the international fair in Italy devoted to contemporary art. The sign, written in English, read: “The artist and curators of the Israeli pavilion will open the exhibition when a ceasefire and hostage release agreement is reached.”

The 60th Venice Biennale opens on Saturday and runs until Nov. 24. Israel is among 88 national participants this year and the country’s pavilion is titled (M)otherland, which is a video installation by artist Ruth Patir. The exhibit “reimagines fertility goddesses from ancient Judean times as real-life mothers” in the technological and digital world, according to a previous description of the exhibit. It explores topics such as fertility, gender representation, and reproductive rights. The exhibit is partially funded by Israel’s Ministry of Culture and Sports and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with additional support from the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the Center for Contemporary Art (CCA) Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Patir shared a statement on her Instagram Story explaining the move to delay the opening of the Israeli pavilion at the Venice Biennale. She said she and her curators, Mira Lapidot and Tamar Margalit, “stand by” their decision.

“I feel that the time for art is lost and I need to believe that it will return. And so if I am given such a remarkable stage, I want to make it count,” Patir said. “I am an artist and educator, I firmly object to 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.”

She concluded by saying, “Ceasefire now, bring the people back from captivity. We can’t take it anymore.”

The Tel Aviv-based studio called 3SISTERS, which helped create the (M)otherland video installation, released a statement on its Instagram account saying it stands by Patir’s decision. “[We] support the action of bringing attention to the fact that the Israeli hostages are still in Hamas captivity for more than half a year,” the studio said. “This war must end with the defeat of Hamas terror organization.”

The national pavilions at the Venice Biennale run independently from the main show and each nation decides its own show.

In February, thousands of artists, curators, and critics signed an open letter calling on the Venice Biennale to expel the Israeli national pavilion from this year’s event in protest of Israel’s military campaign against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. However, Italy supported Israel’s participation.