The president of the Venice Biennale Foundation, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, criticized the European Commission on Thursday for withdrawing funding because of Russia's involvement in this year's Art Biennale. Buttafuoco made the comments during a press conference announcing the lineup for the 83rd Venice Film Festival, which is also part of the Biennale.
Earlier in 2024, the European Commission decided to pull financial support for the Art Biennale due to Russia's participation, following the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Buttafuoco argued that the decision was unfair, saying that culture should remain separate from politics. He did not provide further details about the amount of funding lost or how it would affect the Biennale.
The Venice Biennale is a major international art exhibition that takes place every two years. This year's edition included a Russian pavilion, which sparked controversy among some European officials. The film festival, a separate event organized by the same foundation, runs from late August to early September.
Buttafuoco's remarks came as he introduced the film lineup, which includes works from around the world. He did not mention any further actions the foundation might take regarding the funding cut.
The European Commission has not responded publicly to Buttafuoco's statements. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between cultural institutions and political bodies over Russia's presence in international arts events since the war in Ukraine began.