At the Venice Biennale, Ukrainian artists’ events are “cancelled” — Russia killed them

Posters across Venice announce exhibitions, readings, and screenings that will never happen. An unofficial public art initiative titled “Invisible Pavilion” is taking place in Venice alongside the 61st Venice Biennale. It commemorates Ukrainian writers, artists, filmmakers, and other cultural figures killed by Russia.

Instead of occupying a single exhibition venue, the project, organized by the Italian Network of Associations for Ukraine (NAU) (Network Associazioni per Ucraina), unfolds in public spaces through posters placed throughout the city, in transit areas, and along the routes connecting the Giardini, the Arsenale, and the city center.

At first glance, the posters resemble ordinary cultural event announcements, featuring exhibition titles, screening dates, book presentations, and public discussions. Each, however, is crossed out with the word “CANCELLED,” accompanied by the same explanation: “Because the author was killed by Russia.”

Among writers and artists featured on the posters are: 

• writer Victoria Amelina, who died July 1, 2023, in a Dnipro hospital from injuries sustained during a Russian missile strike on a pizza restaurant in Kramatorsk. The posters “announce” the presentation of Victoria Amelina’s final, unfinished book, “Looking at Women Looking at War,” published in early 2025 by St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers. The book received the 2025 Moore Prize for Human Rights Writing and won the Orwell Prize posthumously.

• poet and artist Veronika (Nika) Kozhushko, who was killed during the shelling of Kharkiv on Aug. 30, 2024; she was 18. Veronika Kozhushko was a Kharkiv artist, painter, and poet who was an active participant in the cultural life of the city, collaborating with the literary museum and the Slovo Residence. The poster features the presentation of “Time to Start Tango,” a collection of poetry and graphic works by the artist, published in 2025 after the tragic death of its author. The book has not yet been translated into English.

• children’s writer Volodymyr Vakulenko, who was abducted and executed by Russian occupying forces in the Kharkiv region in 2022. He left his notes near his parents’ house, knowing that the occupiers would come for him. The diary was later published in Ukrainian as a book and translated into French by Hashtag Publishing. Volodymyr Vakulenko posthumously received a Special Award at the IPA Prix Voltaire 2023.

• filmmaker Ihor Malakhov, a member of BABYLON’13 (Ukrainian documentary filmmakers’ association), who volunteered for military service and whose death was confirmed in April 2026 following DNA identification. Among his works are “Music Lessons,” which received an award at the Odesa International Film Festival, “One’s Own Fate. Dream,” “The Voice of Donbas,” and others. The poster invites to his “special screening” of the documentary “How the War Began: Chronicles and Witnesses” (2019). 

The posters advertise events that will now never take place — readings, film screenings, and illustration workshops — and include a QR code linking to an online platform documenting Ukrainian artists and cultural figures killed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“Invisible Pavilion” runs parallel to the biennale from May 6 to Nov. 22, 2026, while remaining outside the official program. At the same time, Ukraine’s official pavilion is participating in the biennale.

Invisible Pavilion continues a broader international effort to preserve the memory of Ukrainian cultural figures killed during the war. Previous initiatives included the “Unwritten” project (“Nedopysani”) and many others.

The initiative is taking place amid renewed controversy over Russia’s presence at the Venice Biennale. In March, Putin’s cultural envoy Mikhail Shvydkoy stated that the Russian pavilion would open in May 2026 and claimed that Russia had “never left” the Biennale. Representatives of Ukraine, Estonia, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Moldova, Poland, and Sweden later signed a statement opposing Russia’s participation. Brussels also warned the Italian government that the operation of the Russian pavilion could violate EU sanctions.

Chytomo also commemorates artists whose lives were taken by Russia — discover more about the life and work of Victoria Amelina and Volodymyr Vakulenko and many others in our publications.

As reported earlier, an exhibition featuring Ukrainian artist Nika Kozhushko, who was killed by Russia, was launched in Iceland.

Copy editing: Joy Tataryn