Israeli artist, curators shut Venice Biennale exhibit, call cease-fire, release of hostages

By Giovanni Legorano

ROME (AA) – An Israeli artist representing her country at the Venice International Biennale of contemporary art said she won’t open the exhibit until a cease-fire in Gaza is reached and hostages are released.

“I feel that the time for art is lost and I need to believe it will return. We (Tamar, Mira and I) have become the news, not the art. And so if I am given such a remarkable sage, I want to make it count,” Ruth Patir wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. Tamar Margalit and Mira Lapidot are the curators of Patir’s exhibit at the Israeli pavilion at the Biennale.

“I have therefore decided that the pavilion will only open when the release of hostages and ceasefire agreement happens. This has been our decision and we stand by it,” she added.

Venice’s international contemporary art exhibition's pre-opening is on Wednesday, while the opening to the broader public is on Friday. The show lasts through November.

Viewers will be able to admire Patir’s works only through the glass windows and doors of the pavilion.

A sign posted on a glass door at the pavilion said: “The artist and curators of the Israeli pavilion will open the exhibition when a ceasefire and hostage release agreement is reached.”

“I am an artist and educator, I firmly object to cultural boycott, but since I feel there are no right answers and I can only do what I can with the space I have, I prefer to raise my voice with those I stand with in their scream, ceasefire now, bring the people back from captivity,” she wrote.

“We can’t take it anymore.”​​​​​​​