The international jury of the 61st Venice Biennale has announced that it will not consider entries from countries "whose leaders are accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court," a move that will exclude Israel and Russia from competing in the art exhibition for the Golden Lion and Silver Lion prizes.
In a statement signed by jury president Solange Farkas and members Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, the panel said the decision reflects a broader responsibility to engage with global issues.
"As members of the jury, we also feel a responsibility to the Biennale's historic role as a platform connecting art to the urgent issues of our time," the statement said.
The jurors added that they are mindful of "the complex relationship between artistic practice and the representation of the nation-state," noting that the structure of the Biennale links artists' work to the actions of the countries they represent.
"In this edition of the Biennale, we wish to express our intention: our commitment to the defense of human rights and to the spirit of Koyo Kouoh's curatorial project," the statement continued. "Accordingly, the jury will refrain from considering countries whose leaders are currently accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court."
Since March 2023, the ICC has had an arrest warrant out for Putin for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children—a war crime under the Rome Statute.
Netanyahu has also been wanted since 2024 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel's war in Gaza.
Israel has been involved in multi-front wars in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, and Syria since October 2023.
It continues to violate two ceasefire agreements, one in Gaza since October 2025 and another in Lebanon since last Thursday, while carrying out near-daily ground incursions in Syria and preparing for the possibility of renewed war with Iran.
