Anish Kapoor says US should be excluded from Venice Biennale

ANISH KAPOOR has said the US should be excluded from the Venice Biennale over what he called the country’s “abhorrent politics of hate” and its “incessant warmongering”.

Kapoor, who represented Britain at the 1990 edition, backed the decision of the biennale jury to resign in protest at the inclusion of Israel and Russia at the event, The Guardian reported.

Calling the resignation “courageous”, Kapoor said: “I would hope that they might have also excluded the United States for its abhorrent politics of hate and its incessant warmongering.”

The US entry, artist Alma Allen, has faced scrutiny over reported interference by the Trump administration in his selection.

The announcement of the US artist was delayed during the longest government shutdown in US history and entrants were reportedly told the work must “reflect and promote American values”.

US pavilion curator Jeffrey Uslip defended Allen’s work, saying: “A lot of people expect abstract work or political work to look a certain way.”

Allen said his art represented “the experiences that I have had in my life”.

The biennale has also seen protests over the Israeli and Russian pavilions.

More than 200 participants signed a letter demanding the cancellation of the Israeli pavilion, while the Italian culture ministry confirmed the Russian pavilion would not open to the public, though the installation would still be visible through windows, The Guardian reported.