La 34 Biennale di Venezia 1968

The 34th Venice Biennale descended into chaos with riots and police crackdowns. Due to the excessive violence that unfolded in the squares and alleys of Venice, several exhibitors chose to protest and close their exhibitions. Sivert Lindblom and Arne Jones closed the Swedish pavilion in protest. All of Sivert's sculptures were covered with black plastic and the windows were covered up. The photographs are taken by Pål-Nils Nilsson, except for one photo with Sivert Lindblom, Olle Granath, and Arne Jones, which is taken by Wilhelm Rapp.

Sivert exhibited together with sculptor Arne Jones at the Venice Biennale in 1968. In connection with the student uprisings taking place in Italy, large demonstrations also occurred in Venice. The closure of the Swedish part of the exhibition pavilion took place in protest against the massive police interventions and arbitrary arrests that unfolded in the city and at the Giardini festival area, where the Biennale had extensive activities.

This report by art critic and journalist Kristian Romare describes the Swedish action with the artists and the Swedish exhibition commissioner Olle Granath, as they explain their decision to close the exhibition to the public and mass media. The program, originally broadcast on SVT (1 Dokumentär), was presented by Lennart Ehrenborg.