Finland’s political leadership will not participate in the Venice Biennale if Russia takes part in the exhibition, according to a statement issued last week by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.
Finnish Minister of Science and Culture Mari-Leena Talvitie said that while Finnish political leaders would be absent if Russia is included among the exhibitors, public officials would still participate in the Biennale. This is because the minister believes that ‘promoting Finnish art and cultural expression, and supporting artists and actors is important.’
Talvitie was one of 22 European ministers to sign a letter in March expressing their concern over Russia’s return to the Biennale for the first time since its fullscale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The letter called Russia’s participation in the Biennale ‘unacceptable’.
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