The Venice Biennale is the most prestigious recurring event in contemporary art, often described as the Olympics of the art world.
The most prestigious prize of the sprawling international exhibition is the Golden Lion for best national participation. The Golden and Silver Lions are awarded by the biennale jury, a rotating panel of international curators and critics.
On April 22, the jury announced Russia and Israel would not be considered for awards. They collectively resigned eight days later – nine days before the opening of this year’s biennale.
