This year's biennial has been heavily criticized for allowing both Israel and Russia to exhibit, and this has led to the resignation of the awards jury. The awards for best pavilion and best artist will instead be voted on by visitors. Around 70 artists, along with about 40 national pavilions, do not want to be involved and are therefore demanding to be removed from the voting.
Among these are the pavilions of Norway, Iceland and Denmark, as well as the renowned Austrian artist Florentina Holzinger.
They are not satisfied with the biennial management's statement that no one will receive the prize if they do not want it.
