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At the 2026 Venice Biennale, the presence of Russian and Israeli pavilions sparked visible anger, protests, and a debate over the festival’s claim of neutrality, highlighting how cultural events are being weaponised in the Russia‑Ukraine and Israel‑Gaza conflicts. Russia’s Prosecco‑Laced Return to the Biennale The Russian pavilion opened with a flamboyant display of prosecco crates and English gin, while the ensemble Ensemble Toloka performed traditional music. Observers on the ground dismissed the spectacle as "ethnic shit to cover up their war crimes", underscoring the dissonance between cultural celebration and ongoing warfare in eastern Ukraine. Political Tensions Surface in Pavilion Selections Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, appointed by Italy’s Giorgia Meloni government, defended the inclusion of both Russia and Israel despite open letters demanding the exclusion of the United States and calls for a ban on nations accused of crimes against humanity. The international jury later resigned after pressure to retract a statement that would have barred Russia and Israel from award consideration. Financial and Diplomatic Stakes of the Biennale’s Neutrality Claim European Commission is probing whether the biennale’s visa assistance for Russian participants breaches sanctions. Italian cultural ministries have faced criticism for appearing to "yield to the aggressor". Protests such as Pussy Riot’s intervention forced a temporary closure of the Russian pavilion. How the Controversy Reshapes Cultural Diplomacy Culture ministers from Ukraine, Poland, Moldova and the Baltic states used the platform to condemn the biennale’s perceived neutrality, framing the event as a propaganda tool. The clash illustrates a broader shift where art festivals become arenas for soft power battles, granting legitimacy to contested regimes. What Lies Ahead for the Biennale’s Governance With the artistic director’s death and the jury’s resignation, the biennale faces a leadership vacuum. Observers predict tighter scrutiny from EU bodies and possible reforms to its pavilion‑selection process, aiming to balance artistic freedom with ethical responsibility.

The Lead: A Biennale on the BrinkThe 2026 Venice Biennale opened amid a cascade of cancellations, protests and a sudden death of its visionary curator Koyo Kouoh. From jurors resigning days before the launch to Iran and the European Commission pulling out, the event was framed by turmoil before any artwork was seen. The Curatorial Crisis: "In Minor Keys" Meets Global TurmoilKouoh’s intended theme, In Minor Keys, promised "spiritual and physical rest" through quiet, contemplative works. In practice, the five‑person curatorial committee produced a disjointed mix of ceramics, textiles and serene videos that felt detached from the raging geopolitical climate – wars, fascist surges and climate emergencies. Artists from the Global South were featured but without contextual framing, echoing past biennale attempts by Okwui Enwezor in 2015.Performance moments – a naked body ringing a bell while another artist jet‑skied on urine – highlighted the absurdity of the exhibition’s calm aesthetic. The Cultural Fallout: Why the Biennale Missed Its MarkCritics note that the exhibition’s lack of overt political content makes it appear oblivious to the world outside the Giardini. The curatorial vacuum resulted in: Chaotic room layouts where unrelated works sit side‑by‑side, leaving visitors unable to discern a narrative.Over‑hung, safe‑looking displays that resemble an art fair rather than a groundbreaking biennale.Moments of genuine artistic merit – such as Seyni Awa Camara's hybrid terracotta figures and Mohammed Z Rahman's matchbox miniatures – being lost in the overall mess. The Outlook: Lessons for Future BiennalesGoing forward, the Biennale will need to reconcile its lofty artistic ambitions with the urgent political realities that audiences expect. Potential paths include: Re‑establishing a clear curatorial leadership, perhaps by appointing a successor who can honour Kouoh’s vision while integrating contemporary crises.Providing contextual frameworks for Global South artists to ensure their work resonates beyond aesthetic appreciation.Balancing contemplative spaces with overt political commentary to reflect the world’s “low notes” without ignoring its “high stakes.”li> Only by addressing these challenges can the Venice Biennale reclaim its role as the premier platform for global contemporary art.

The Genesis of a Masterpiece This week we mark two extraordinary centenaries. Sir David Attenborough's, of course, but only four days after the birth of the bona fide national treasure, Dmitri Shostakovich's First Symphony also first saw the light of day – premiered in Leningrad on 12 May 1926. The 19-year-old's composition was played by the Leningrad Philharmonic, conducted by Nicolai Malko. The Revolutionary Sound The symphony's four-movement structure is just about the only conventional feature it has. The teenage Shostakovich had imbibed all the lessons he could about what orchestral music should sound like and how it should behave, and was bold enough to subvert all those ideas and send them up. There is no forelock-tugging to earlier generations of Russian symphonists and orchestral pioneers; instead, Shostakovich's First resounds with a self-confidence that's both optimistic and deliciously sardonic. A Circus of Sound From the distorted trumpet call that opens the work – a fanfare that thumbs its nose at your expectations of how a symphony should start; not an affirmative flourish, but a snakingly dissonant question mark – Shostakovich sets out on a first movement that's like a circus: a cavalcade of characters who take the stage and exit, more often than not pursued by a cartoon bear, clown or bassoon. The momentum that Shostakovich generates from the way he juxtaposes ideas – cutting from one to the other as if the symphony were a reel of film – continues deliriously in the second movement. Here, a piano part is added to the orchestral texture, and that's where one of the secrets of this music's compositional energy is revealed. As a teenager, Shostakovich played the piano for Soviet silent cinema screenings, and in the symphony's piano solos, he turns his work into a knockabout farce that Buster Keaton would be proud of. A Masterpiece of Unbridled Creativity The movement builds to a climax that is both terrifying – a sudden fanfare that consumes the whole orchestra – and bathetic, in the form of the solo piano's chords, as if the pianist couldn't keep up with the music's pace. There is no hint anywhere in this piece of the bombast and poster-paint ideology of Shostakovich's later symphonies, but there is real feeling here, hinted at in that climax of the scherzo, as the cartoon suddenly shudders into real life. The slow movement that comes next is one of the most unironically passionate that Shostakovich ever wrote, as a solo oboe and solo cello inspire the whole orchestra to a melodic outpouring that feels more Shakespearean drama than circus hijinks. A Legacy of Creative Freedom The final movement somehow brings all of these worlds together, and the symphony ends in a torrent of irresistible energy, a culmination of pure sentiment as well as sheer excitement. This is, surely, the most creatively confident First Symphony by any teenager in musical history (and there is plenty of competition, from Mendelssohn to Knussen, from Rihm to Schubert). It announces a world of possibility in which musical conventions are gleefully turned upside down in a frenzy of modernist creativity that's both funny and profound. It's the sound of a unique symphonic avant garde that might have heralded an era of unfettered creative freedom for Shostakovich and generations of composers. A What-If of History Instead, these are the sounds of what might have been, for Shostakovich and for Russia. In Shostakovich's later symphonies, especially from the mid-1930s onwards, you hear the chilling of that freedom and the daily terror of living in Stalin's Soviet Union. The confidence and joy in his own brilliance that you hear in every page of the First Symphony is a miracle that Shostakovich never quite repeated and which is still strikingly new, a century on.

The Intersection of Cultures Rostam Batmanglij, the 42-year-old superproducer and former Vampire Weekend member, sat down with The Guardian to discuss his latest solo album 'American Stories'. Born to Iranian parents and raised in America, Batmanglij's music often reflects his diverse cultural background. Musical Beginnings and Influences The first song Rostam learned to play on guitar was Chuck Berry's 'Johnny B Goode', a quintessentially American rock'n'roll hit. This early influence set the tone for his future work, which often blends American and Middle Eastern musical elements. American Stories: A Reflection of Identity 'American Stories', Batmanglij's third solo album, is a beautiful blend of pop, rock, and Middle Eastern music. The album's songs reflect on love, songwriting, and the fast-unspooling political landscape. Batmanglij's experiences as an Iranian-American and his observations of the world around him have shaped the album's themes and sound. Politics and Social Commentary Batmanglij's music often touches on politics and social issues. He was inspired by the 2025 election of New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim Indian democratic socialist, and has written songs that seem to reference Israel's bombardment of Gaza. His music is a call to action, encouraging listeners to think critically about the world around them. The Power of Protest and Younger Generations Batmanglij believes that younger people have more clarity about what's going on in the world, while many people in his generation and older have 'deluded themselves'. He sees his music as a way to inspire and empower listeners, particularly younger generations, to take action and make a difference. Creative Freedom and Future Plans As a solo artist, Batmanglij has the freedom to pursue any idea he wants, no matter how weird or unconventional. He has worked with a range of artists, from Frank Ocean to Clairo, and is always looking for new ways to push the boundaries of his music. With 'American Stories', he has created a truly unique and captivating album that showcases his talents as a producer, songwriter, and performer.

The Lead: Perry's Raw Return to Center Stage Linda Perry, the iconic singer-songwriter behind 4 Non Blondes and hitmaker for stars like Christina Aguilera and Pink, is stepping back into the spotlight after years working behind the scenes. Her new documentary "Linda Perry: Let It Die Here" and accompanying album capture her journey through breast cancer, the death of her abusive mother, and her complex emotional landscape as she reclaims her artistic identity. The Event Details: Cancer, Loss, and Creative Resilience The documentary, directed by Don Hardy who had been filming Perry at work, captures her just over a week after a double mastectomy, walking gingerly into her studio while carrying surgical drains she calls "blood grenades." As Perry recovered from surgery, her elderly mother—who had physically and mentally abused her as a child—became ill and died three months later. Perry took her mother into her home for her final months, setting up a bed next to hers, reflecting that "the best gift my mom gave me was a peaceful death." The Creative Process: From Personal Pain to Artistic Expression Perry's new solo album, her first in 27 years, is a visceral, propulsive work about her mother's death and the complex feelings it unearthed. Songs include "I Am Daughter," "Now That She's Gone," "Liberation," and "What Lies With You," in which she calls her mother "the villain and the muse." The documentary shows Perry's songwriting prowess in action as she jams with Dolly Parton and Kate Hudson, while also capturing her hosting an event at South By Southwest for EqualizeHer, an organization she co-founded to promote gender equality in the music industry. The Industry Impact: A Voice for Gender Equality Perry has long been an advocate for gender equity in music. Early in her career, she was famously denied a producer credit on "What's Up," the track that sent 4 Non Blondes stratospheric. She let it go at the time but vowed it would never happen again. Through EqualizeHer and her own experiences, Perry continues to challenge the industry's gender disparities. The documentary also captures her re-formed 4 Non Blondes performing at the BottleRock festival, where she insisted on performing new material rather than just their old hits, stating "I want to play something new." The Personal Journey: Confronting Trauma and Finding Strength The documentary offers intimate glimpses into Perry's personal struggles, including a scene where she's captured dancing goofily in her closet to Supertramp's "Take the Long Way Home," which triggers deep emotional release. Another powerful moment shows her ripping open her shirt during a photoshoot in the desert to reveal her surgical scars, describing it as "ad-lib, a kind of a 'fuck-it' moment" that felt powerful afterward. Perry admits she's a workaholic who finds safety in creating: "Like most people who are in trauma, I am afraid to be left alone. Creating, working and music is where I feel safe." The Future Outlook: New Music and Continued Advocacy Perry's re-formed 4 Non Blondes are working on a new album due out early next year, based on material she wrote specifically for festival performances. She continues to collaborate with other artists, including Paris Jackson and Mike Campbell of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers. While the documentary was difficult for Perry to watch—"It was like watching a horror movie"—she recognizes its therapeutic value: "I think maybe the film helped me process and see something I didn't know I was doing." As she walks into the distance at the end of the documentary, Perry reflects: "Everything I've just experienced is going to change my life drastically. Life and death happened just now, so let's see what happens from here."

Quick Take: A Queer Comic Turns Pregnancy Into a ‘Manly’ ActAshley Gavin delivers a one‑hour set that fuses explicit jokes about the clitoris, oestrogen treatment and fertility with a razor‑sharp dismantling of gender conventions. The performance, captured at a London venue on 10 May 2026, positions her as a leading voice in a new wave of LGBTQ+ stand‑up.Gavin’s Show Dissects Clitoris, Gender Norms and FertilityThe routine opens with a wax‑appointment gag, then escalates to a provocative claim that the clitoris is essentially a “tiny dick”. She flips the script on traditional masculinity by arguing that “it’s manly, getting pregnant”, weaving scientific tidbits about oestrogen and animal mating rituals into punchlines. Throughout, Gavin navigates mis‑gendered audience moments and crowd‑work, keeping the energy high while interrogating X/Y binaries.Tour Stats and Audience Demographics Highlight Growing Queer DemandAge of performer: 38UK tour runs until 13 MayAverage venue capacity: ~300 seats, with reported sell‑outs in Manchester and EdinburghSocial‑media clips of the show have amassed >2 million views across TikTok and InstagramWhy This Sets a New Benchmark for Gender‑Forward ComedyBy treating reproductive biology as comedic fodder, Gavin pushes the envelope beyond the “old‑school masculine stand‑up” that Guardian notes is “out of fashion”. The show resonates with queer audiences seeking representation, while also provoking mainstream viewers to reconsider entrenched gender scripts. Critics praise the blend of “gleeful iconoclasm” and “twisty gender logic” as a template for future acts.What’s Next for LGBTQ+ Stand‑Up on the Global StageGiven the strong ticket sales and viral clip performance, promoters are likely to book Gavin for larger festivals in Europe and North America. The success may encourage other queer comedians to tackle taboo subjects—fertility, anatomy, religion—with similar candor, potentially reshaping comedy line‑ups at major venues.

The Musical Review Bank of Dave: The Musical is a tremendously likable show. The source material is the feelgood true-life story of Dave Fishwick (Sam Lupton), the Burnley businessman whose egalitarian conscience led him to step in where others had failed. Seeing his fellow townsfolk being held back for want of money, he determined to set up a non-profit bank that would treat them with trust and respect. The Story Unfolds Presented as a David and Goliath battle between an impoverished former mill town and a self-serving banking sector, it is an underdog tale with a happy ending. Following the fictionalised outline of the 2023 Netflix film, starring Rory Kinnear, it has two big plus-points for a musical: a community that pulls together and a romantic subplot between a buttoned-up London lawyer (Lucca Chadwick-Patel) and a no-nonsense local doctor (a star performance by Lauryn Redding). The Performance Director Nikolai Foster fashions an ebullient, if a tad overheated show, forever erupting into big chorus numbers on Amy Jane Cook’s amorphous bar-room set with its backdrop of Lancashire chimneys and neat integration of Duncan McLean’s video designs. Pippa Cleary’s songs are bright and engaging, drawing on gospel, soul, hip-hop and Broadway golden age. The Verdict Like the film, the north-south divide is overegged – there is even an apology for the “southern saviour narrative” – and the honest-to-goodness characters flirt with cliche. Unlike the film, it comes clean about the story’s fabrications. Such honesty is consistent with a determinedly down-to-earth show that rails against inequality while championing the possibility of change. Show Details At Lowry, Salford, until 16 May then at Curve, Leicester, 20–30 May

The Ultimate Wizard Showdown When asked who would win a fight between Gandalf and Dumbledore, the iconic actor who portrayed both legendary wizards didn't hesitate with his answer. "Why on earth would they be fighting? But Gandy, of course, would win. The original wizard," McKellen declared, settling the debate that has captivated fantasy fans for years. A Life in Theater Reflecting on his more than six decades in acting, McKellen lamented the decline of repertory theater in the UK. "My first job, in 1961, was at the Belgrade theatre in Coventry," he recalled. "Every city of similar size had a repertory company, presenting a new production every two weeks, and crucially providing employment for tyro actors in need of a prolonged apprenticeship." Today, he noted, there is not a single rep company in the UK, a system he credits with helping develop new talent. Personal Reflections McKellen shared insights into his personal beliefs, explaining that while he was raised with gospel stories, he stopped worshipping in his teens. "Since then, Quakers are the religious society I most admire, for their adherence to the sixth commandment and for being the first Christians to support gay rights in the UK." He also discussed how his father's preaching style influenced him, though it was actors who first captivated him rather than religious figures. Behind the Scenes of Middle-earth The actor revealed that Peter Jackson never confirmed which stars turned down the role of Gandalf in Lord of the Rings. "I've never managed to persuade Peter to confirm who turned down the wizard part of a lifetime," McKellen shared. He speculated that David Bowie's striking looks and voice might have emphasized the supernatural side of Gandalf rather than the character's humanity that attracted him to the role. Beyond Middle-earth Beyond his iconic fantasy roles, McKellen discussed his appreciation for pantomime as a uniquely theatrical art form. "Pantomime uses every possible theatrical device to tell its moral tales – slapstick, sentiment, song, dance, verse, cross-dressing, community singing, extravagant costumes and scenery, audience participation," he explained. "My patriotism is rooted in Shakespeare and panto." He also mentioned his recent Glastonbury performance with the Scissor Sisters, describing the experience as "heady stuff, parading in front of a band's enthusiastic fans."

The Rediscovery of a Harlem Renaissance OutsiderEric Walrond was a defining yet vanishing figure of the Harlem Renaissance, a Guyana-born writer who navigated the complexities of migratory identity and racial politics in the early 20th century. His death in 1966 went largely unremarked, and for decades, he slipped into obscurity. However, the centenary of his magnum opus, Tropic Death, has reignited interest in a body of work that challenged the literary establishment of his time.The Gothic Counter-Pastoral of 'Tropic Death'Published in 1924, Tropic Death is a trailblazing collection of 10 stories set in the Panama Canal Zone and the Caribbean. Walrond rejected the pastoral tradition, instead employing a gothic lens to expose the brutality of colonialism and the caste systems that governed the region. The stories are visceral and macabre, featuring a laborer shot by a drunken marine, a boy devoured by a shark, and a plantation owner killed by a vampire bat.Key Themes: The inversion of the 'tropical paradise' fantasy.Style: Use of phonetic vernacular and regional dialects.Reception: Initially controversial among contemporaries like Marcus Garvey and Claude McKay.Deconstructing the 'Tropical Paradise' MythWalrond’s work is significant because it directly countered the sanitised narratives of tourist literature commissioned by corporate interests. By foregrounding the violence and supernatural decay inherent in the landscape, he revealed the 'nightmare buried beneath the surface' of the colonial idyll. His characters—farmers, sex workers, and sailors—were not primitives, but complex individuals caught in a web of racial and extractive capitalism.The Cost of Exile and ObscurityDespite critical acclaim and a Guggenheim award, Walrond struggled with a sense of rootlessness that stifled his creativity. His migration from New York to Paris, then London, and finally to the isolated town of Bradford-on-Avon, marked the end of his literary output. Struggling with mental health and the color bar, he spent his final years in anonymity, dying in an unmarked grave. His story serves as a poignant reminder of the erasure of non-white voices in literary history.