No Venice Biennale has ever been apolitical, but global affairs have deeply marked this year’s edition already. A week into the 61st international art exhibition, there have been protests against Russia and Israel's participation, pavilions closing and threats to cut funding.
The atmosphere is strikingly at odds with the late curator’s vision for the event, encapsulated in the theme ‘In Minor Keys’. Koyo Kouoh aimed to reorient the show away from the “anxious cacophony of the present chaos raging through the world” to focus on softer tones of emotion, connectivity and grounding.
