More than a century of artists are poised to take legal action against the Venice Biennale.

Artists are seeking removal of their names from a public ballot determining the top artist and pavilion, typically chosen by an expert panel's deliberation.

Over 100 participating artists in this year's Venice Biennale are prepared to take drastic measures, including litigation, unless their names are promptly removed from the contentious public poll for the Best Artist award.

The collective is requesting exemption from the accolades as a gesture of support for the panel of experts who stepped down in late April, following their decision to withhold honors from creatives tied to nations under ICC scrutiny.

A statement released on Wednesday revealed that the collective is contemplating litigation against the Venice Biennale. In a letter sent twice last month, its members had requested not to be considered for the Visitors' Lions awards, but their concerns were met with a lack of detailed response from the organization. Consequently, the group has indicated it will proceed with further legal measures.

Swiss artist Uriel Orlow expressed discontent in a video interview regarding the Venice Biennale's voting process. According to him, the event is disrespecting participating artists by not removing their names from consideration when they opt out of award eligibility. Furthermore, visitors are being misled into voting for artists who do not wish to receive recognition.

The Venice Biennale has maintained a list of participating artists, assuring attendees that their right to express themselves freely is respected during voting. Any ballots submitted in favor of artists who declined participation will be disregarded in the tally.

According to the spokeswoman, the intention behind this initiative is transparent and does not aim to mislead visitors in any way. The true objective lies in enabling the public to freely express their thoughts for the very first time.

The group of artists has consulted with legal professionals, who believe they have a strong case against the Venice Biennale. According to Orlow, their participation is not mandated by any contractual agreement.

One of the art world's premier events, the Venice Biennale takes place biennially, featuring a flagship exhibition alongside more than 100 satellite shows within national pavilions.

Artists participating in the Venice Biennale's main exhibition are eligible for recognition by a panel of industry experts, who also present the coveted Golden Lion award to standout national pavilions each year.

Artists participating in this year's Biennale are requesting removal from public award consideration, with notable figures such as Florentina Holzinger at the forefront of this movement. Her provocative Austrian pavilion exhibit, featuring a nude woman on a Jet Ski within a submerged building, has sparked significant interest and debate among attendees.

Signers from Britain, France, Italy, and Ukraine have also joined the lawsuit.

Controversy surrounding the Biennale's awards erupted well before its May 9 opening this year. In April, Solange Farkas, a Brazilian curator and chair of the prize jury, made a significant announcement: she would withhold recognition from artists whose countries' leaders are under investigation by the International Criminal Court.

Following the controversy, Israeli sculptor Belu-Simion Fainaru revealed in a newspaper interview that he had sought legal counsel regarding the Biennale's jury selection process, citing perceived bias against his representation.

The jury's abrupt resignation on April 30 sparked controversy, as the Venice Biennale opted to replace traditional jury prizes with two new accolades: the Visitors' Lion award for outstanding pavilions and a separate honor for standout artists within the main exhibition.

The Venice Biennale's opening day, May 9, coincided with a surge of discontent among participating artists, as approximately seventy creatives requested removal from contention through formal letters.

American artist Nina Katchadourian expressed surprise upon discovering her inclusion in the Venice Biennale's voting process, recalling a conversation with her husband who had received a ballot after visiting the exhibition. He noted her name was still listed, prompting her to remark that she found this unusual.

Artists within the collective have submitted a follow-up letter to the Venice Biennale, dated May 20, requesting the removal of their names and reiterating their disagreement with the outcome of the public voting process.

The organizers' decision to introduce Visitor's Lion awards has sparked controversy among participating artists. They argue that this move undermines the original agreement and contradicts the jury's intended process for selecting award winners. The introduction of visitor voting is seen as a deviation from the agreed-upon format.

The organization explicitly stated its disinterest in involvement.

The Venice Biennale's visitors seem oblivious to the controversy brewing around it. A Swiss artist, Orlow, revealed he'd been contacted on Instagram by someone claiming to have cast a vote for him in the Visitor's Lion category, leaving him feeling uneasy about the situation.

Israeli artist Shirley Moneyhon, who recently attended the Venice Biennale, expressed her surprise via email after discovering that Dries Verhoeven's participation in the Dutch pavilion was conditional on being removed from consideration for a vote she had unknowingly cast.

It's puzzling to include artists who've formally dropped out of consideration in the voting pool, according to Moneyhon. Typically, voters assume all listed participants are eligible for selection, which may not be the case if some have withdrawn from competition.