Art is not an innocent field

The Venice Biennale, established in 1895, is a unique cultural institution blending art, geopolitics and national identity. Initially a tool for Venice’s cosmopolitan branding, it was later co-opted by fascist Italy for propaganda, embedding lasting structural legacies. Its Giardini site has become a privatized, exclusionary territory reflecting global power dynamics through national pavilions. Despite rhetoric of transnational dialogue, the Biennale functions as a diplomatic stage, reinforcing sovereignty and exclusivity. Recent trends highlight its role in legitimizing emerging nations, akin to a “cultural UN”. Yet, its fortress-like boundaries and neoliberal governance undermine its potential as a truly inclusive, critical platform for contemporary art and global discourse.