Dozens of artists taking part in this year’s Venice Biennale have withdrawn themselves from consideration for the newly created Visitor Lion awards, which this year are replacing the Gold and Silver Lion prizes, typically considered among the most coveted accolades in the international art world. A total of 57 artists presenting work in the main exhibition, as well as artists, curators, and exhibition facilitators representing 22 national pavilions withdrew “in solidarity with the resignation of the jury selected by Koyo Kouoh ,” according to a statement published on e-flux on May 9. The main exhibition, “In Minor Keys,” was organized by the late curator Koyo Kouoh and executed by five collaborators. It has been the subject of political turbulence for weeks with the news of the artists’ withdrawal arriving on the day of the Venice Biennale’s public opening, just one day after strikes disrupted previews of the global art event.…