Dozens of national pavilions at the Venice Biennale were shut down today as artists struck to demand workers' rights and an end to what they see as a genocide.
The strike, timed with the opening of the biennale's main exhibition In Minor Keys, saw at least 27 out of 100 pavilions affected. Among them were Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, and Japan.
Artists like Nina Katchadourian and Mohammad Joha, a Gaza-born artist, used their platforms to denounce the Israeli government and call for an end to what they view as genocide. Palestinian flags adorned many installations, while protests filled Venice’s streets with thousands of marchers.
The event underscored the growing cultural pushback against states implicated in human rights abuses, with statements from pavilions like Japan's declaring 'No artwashing. No genocide pavilion.'
This historic strike is more than just a disruption; it marks a new era where artists are not only creating but also fighting for their beliefs and principles.
