Venice Biennale Scraps “Golden Lion” Awards as Turmoil Continues
The Biennale said the public will vote on “Visitor Lions” instead, and made it clear that Israel and Russia will be in the running.
With widespread boycott campaigns, a crowdfunded United States pavilion exhibition, and the jury's collective resignation before it even starts, the 61st Venice Biennale is moving more like a circus than the “Art Olympics.” In the latest twist, the Golden Lion awards have been shelved altogether this year, and it will now be up to the public to vote on the best national pavilion and best artist in the main exhibition.
The Biennale Foundation announced the establishment of the “Visitor Lions” shortly after the Biennale's award jury issued its collective resignation yesterday, April 30. The jury's decision was an escalation of its previous statement of intent to omit “countries whose leaders are currently charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court” from consideration on April 22, effectively rendering the Russian and Israeli pavilions ineligible for the coveted Golden Lions.
However, both Russia and Israel are back in the running for the new Visitor Lions. The Biennale Foundation stated in its announcement that all official national pavilions will be able to compete “following the principle of inclusion and equal treatment among all participants.”
“This is consistent with the founding spirit of the Biennale itself, based on openness, dialogue, and the rejection of any form of closure and censorship,” the Foundation's statement continued.
The Foundation also decided to move the awards ceremony from May 9 to Sunday, November 22, the last day of the Biennale, to keep the voting period open for the entire run. Ticket holders who visited both the pavilion and main exhibition venues will be prompted to cast their votes, the Biennale's statement said.
While the Foundation has postponed the awards ceremony in the past — namely during the Architecture Biennale in 2021 on account of the coronavirus pandemic — it appears to be the first time that visitors will be responsible for doling out the accolades.
Hyperallergic has reached out to the Foundation's press office for comment.
