The Russian Pavilion will be accessible to the public only during the Venice Biennale’s pre-opening vernissage (May 5–8), Italian news outlets report, as the European Union threatens to withdraw funding from the prestigious exhibition amid mounting sanctions on Moscow. For weeks, voices across Europe’s cultural and political spheres—including Italy’s culture minister—have urged Venice Biennale organizers to shutter the Russian Pavilion, as the country’s war against Ukraine remains ongoing. Now, a compromise appears to have been reached: the pavilion will open during the preview period (May 5–8) for live performances tied to the exhibition “The Tree Is Rooted in the Sky.” It will then close from May 9 through the remainder of the Biennale, with digital documentation of the performances presented on screens installed in the building’s windows.…