Artist refuses to open Israeli pavilion at Venice Biennale until cease-fire, hostage release

By COLLEEN BARRY
Associated Press

VENICE, Italy (AP) — The artist and curators representing Israel at this year’s Venice Biennale have announced they won’t open the Israeli pavilion exhibition until there is a cease-fire in Gaza and an agreement to release hostages. In a statement the curators said: “The art can wait, but the women, children and people living through hell cannot.” Their decision was posted on a sign on the Israeli national pavilion Tuesday, just days before the Biennale contemporary art fair opens Saturday. There was no immediate comment from the organizers. Israel is among 88 national participants in the 60th Venice Biennale. Already, thousands of artists, curators and critics had signed an open letter calling on the Biennale to exclude Israel from this year’s show.