Finland has joined 22 European countries in signing a joint statement calling on the organisers of the Venice Biennale to reconsider the participation of the Russian Pavilion in the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. The Finnish signatory is the Minister of Education and Culture, Mari-Leena Talvitie.
Frame Contemporary Art Finland, which acts as commissioner of the Pavilion of Finland at the Biennale and is appointed by the Ministry of Education and Culture, has also signed an open letter initiated by the Baltic Pavilions opposing Russia’s participation.
Russia has been subject to extensive EU sanctions following its four-year illegal war of aggression in Ukraine and has been excluded from many international cultural events. Frame ceased its cooperation with Russian art institutions in early 2022 and has not awarded grants to projects in Russia since the start of the war.
We recognise that several countries currently participating in the Biennale have breached international laws or are implicated in serious human rights violations. Their participation also raises serious questions and concerns.
Particularly in times of growing geopolitical tensions, the Venice Biennale organisation’s official guidelines for national participations should include ethical conditions and be equally applied to all participating countries. Frame is in dialogue with other national pavilions’ commissioners about influencing the Biennale Foundation on this matter.
We live in a world of interdependencies, where art and politics cannot be separated from each other. Frame remains committed to supporting and upholding fundamental values that we consider important: artistic freedom, human rights, and democracy.
More information:
Juha Huuskonen, CEO
juha.huuskonen@frame-finland.fi
T. +358 40 570 9617
Photo: Ugo Carmeni