Pussy Riot, FEMEN Protest Russian Pavilion at Venice Biennale

Activists from the Russian art collective Pussy Riot and the Ukrainian feminist group FEMEN staged a joint protest on May 6 outside the Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, releasing plumes of pink, blue, and yellow smoke while chanting slogans and waving Ukrainian flags to denounce Russia's participation in the event.

Around 50 demonstrators gathered in the Giardini exhibition area during the Biennale's preview days for artists, curators, and journalists. Pussy Riot members, wearing pink balaclavas, performed their song "Disobey" and attempted to enter the pavilion, which was barricaded by Italian police and Biennale security. Several FEMEN activists bared their chests with antiwar messages such as "Russia Kills, Biennale Exhibits" and "Biennale of Evil." The action lasted about 20 to 30 minutes before police intervention.

The protest marked the first collaboration between the two groups and highlighted opposition to Russia's return to the Biennale, its first since withdrawing in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine. Russia also sat out the 2024 edition. The pavilion, owned by Russia since 1914 and featuring the exhibition "The Tree is Rooted in the Sky" with performances...