Maria Kalesnikava Spotted at Pussy Riot and Femen Protest Against Russia's Participation in the Venice Biennale PHOTO FACT
In Venice, an action was held by activists from Russian Pussy Riot and Ukrainian Femen against Russia's participation in the Venice Biennale. This was a brief protest near the Russian pavilion, writes the Sota publication. Former Belarusian political prisoner Maria Kalesnikava was also captured in the photo report from the event.
First, the participants of the action pushed back people standing near the pavilion to clear some space. Pussy Riot activist Nadezhda Tolokonnikova loudly shouted that Russian art is connected with blood, death, and violence.
Then the activists lit flares with purple smoke and approached closer to the entrance. After this, the police effectively blocked the pavilion. People inside, representing official Russian art, refused to comment on the situation or even give their names.
Finally, the participants made obscene gestures towards the pavilion. The performance itself lasted about 15 minutes.
Among the photos from the action is an image of Maria Kalesnikava under an umbrella, smiling broadly. From the context of the photo, however, it's difficult to tell if she took any part in this action or was simply passing by.
Russia did not participate in the Venice Biennale in 2022 and 2024 due to sanctions imposed for unleashing war in Ukraine, however, the Russian pavilion in Venice is expected to reopen in 2026.
Ukraine expressed a protest regarding this, and the European Commission stated that Russia's participation in the exhibition violates the sanctions regime. For this, the Biennale was deprived of a grant of about two million euros, and the international jury of the Biennale fully resigned at the end of April.
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як і ва ўсіх папярэдніх акцыях пэўна