Venice is turning into a political battleground — again, but louder. The EU is now threatening to pull funding from the Biennale entirely if Russia is allowed to participate, calling the decision “not compatible with the EU’s collective response to Russia’s brutal aggression” (ARTnews). Meanwhile, over in Venice proper, Italy’s far-right government has pushed through the appointment of Beatrice Venezi as music director of La Fenice — over the objections of musicians and staff — as part of its declared campaign to end what it calls left-wing cultural hegemony (ANSA (Italy)). Critics say her conducting record is too thin for the job. The government appears unbothered.
Harper’s has a pointed essay from 2024 arguing that contemporary art became predictable and dull precisely when politics took over — that the mandate to amplify marginalized voices crowded out the mandate to be inventive (Harper’s). The LA Review of Books pushes back, noting that “questioning the work risks being seen as questioning the identity” — which is its own kind of critical trap (LA Review of Books). It’s a debate worth having.
Portland has been cutting arts grants — nearly in half. It has also been sitting on $8.5 million in unspent arts tax revenue. Arts organizations are, understandably, asking questions (Oregon ArtsWatch).
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