Woman Life Freedom Europe e Woman Life Freedom Italyask to exclude the Islamic Republic of Iran from Venice Biennale 2024. The two organizations are pushing to give a strong and clear signal to the international community by canceling Iran’s participation; the appeal was signed by many figures of art and culture.
“The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is the department responsible for censorship and limitation of freedom of expression, guilty of arrests and persecutions against non-aligned artists. With this presence the Biennale becomes an accomplice of a criminal and bloody government”. The Iranian artist signed the appeal for the exclusion of Iran Shirin Neshatthe director Marjane Satrapithe lawyer Ebadi program (Nobel Peace Prize 2003), the directors Marco Bellocchio e Nanni Moretti, the artists Joseph Kosuth e Alberto Biasithe musicians Paolo Fresu, Davide Toffolo, Franco Piersantithe directors Francesca Archibugi, Daniele Luchetti, Giulio Manfredonia, Marco Simon Puccioni, Ferdinando Vicentini Orgnani, Paolo Virzìthe screenwriters Francesca Marciano, Sandro Petraglia, Stefano Rulli, the writers Gabriella Caramore, Mariolina Venezia, Marcello Fois, Diego De Silvathe curators Luca Massimo Barbero and Chiara Bertola.
The request, which follows a similar appeal on 18 October 2023, was sent today to the president of the Venice Biennale Roberto Cicutto, to the general director of the Biennale Andrea Del Mercato, to the Board of Directors of the Biennale – Luigi Brugnaro, Luca Zaia, Claudia Ferrazzi – as well as to the Prime Minister Giorgia Melonito the Foreign Minister Antonio Tajanito the Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiulianoto the president of the Culture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies Federico Mollicone and to the mayor of Venice Luigi Brugnaro.
THE REASONS FOR THE LETTER
“It is with great amazement and regret that we learned from the Venice Biennale website that, contrary to what you announced in October, the Islamic Republic of Iran will be present among the national participations with a curator and an artist chosen by the Iranian regime” write the two organizations that “on behalf of dissident and independent artists, and of the persecuted Iranian people” ask to give “a strong and clear signal to the international community, with an authoritative voice that cancels the participation of Iran and the enslaved artists to the regime at the Venice Art Biennale 2024”.
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edited by the Cultura editorial team
In the letter the organizations announce that, in response to the renewed appeal, “in case of no response we will activate a protest”.”Since the murder of Mahsa Amini (September 16, 2022), a ferocious repression is underway which, to silence all forms of dissent, affects artists, women, young people, students, journalists and workers. This cruel and senseless murder was followed by a series of inhumane and indescribable acts of violence, especially against young people who dared to peacefully protest against the regime. Rape, torture, blinding and other murders, hundreds of them. The repression, as you know, is increasingly stronger, some of them have been executed and many await the execution of the death sentence. The Italian Government, like many other countries and democratic institutions, has distanced itself and avoided government meetings with the Iranian regime or any of their official participation in Italy. Why does an important institution like the Venice Biennale lend itself to legitimizing the delegation of a theoretical dictatorial regime that has been censoring all artistic expression for 45 years? The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is the department responsible for censorship and limitation of freedom of expression, guilty of arrests and persecution against non-aligned artists. With this presence – they say – the Biennale becomes an accomplice of a criminal and bloody government. Now more than ever it is necessary to take a clear and clear position against the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran, with those who have blood on their hands.”
THE BIENNIAL STATEMENT
Following the letter from Women Life Freedom (and the appeal, circulated in the last few hours, calling for the exclusion of Israel from the art exhibition), the Venice Biennale released a statement which reads: “Regarding participation in the ‘International Art Exhibition of countries present in the pavilions of the Giardini, the Arsenale and in the city, La Biennale di Venezia specifies that all countries recognized by the Italian Republic can in total autonomy request to officially participate. The Biennale, consequently, cannot take into consideration any petition or request to exclude the presence of Israel or Iran from the next 60th International Art Exhibition (20 April – 24 November 2024)”.
Remembering what happened in the past “The Biennale also recalls that the closure of the Russian Pavilion at the 59th International Art Exhibition 2022 was decided by the Commissioner and the Curator appointed by the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, who communicated who will not participate in the next 60th International Art Exhibition. With reference to the aforementioned exclusions of applications for admission to the Collateral Event of the 60th Exhibition, it is specified that out of 72 eligible projects, two saw the participation of Palestinian artists, one of which was included among the 30 Collateral Events approved by the Curator Adriano Pedrosa, in total autonomy and at his sole artistic discretion.
There are also Palestinian artists in the 60th International Art Exhibition curated by Adriano Pedrosa, as shown in the list of participants released by the Biennale on 31 January 2024″.
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– 2024-04-02 13:17:33
