South Africa will not move forward with an artistic performance addressing the conflict in Gaza at its 2026 Venice Biennale pavilion. The work, titled Elegy, was initially selected by an independent committee in December but was subsequently rejected by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
Controversy Surrounds Biennale Selection
The decision to scrap Elegy, a performance by artist Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo, originated with Minister Gayton McKenzie, founder of the Patriotic Alliance party, according to reporting by Daily Maverick. A spokesperson for the Department stated the pavilion “should not be used to amplify similarly divisive global disputes that do not center South Africa’s own story,” and that the country needs to “sell our country to the world.”
Elegy was intended to address the “unfolding crisis of displacement and death in Gaza,” as well as the killing of Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada, femicide in South Africa, and the Herero and Nama genocide in Namibia. McKenzie reportedly threatened to withdraw South Africa from the Biennale if the work proceeded, a move the selection committee deemed unconstitutional.
Selection Committee Defends Original Choice
The independent committee that initially selected Elegy released a statement on January 8 affirming their support for the artist and curator. They characterized the work as focusing on “intimacy, care, and listening, [and] creating space for reflection on loss and remembrance,” and rejected “all forms of censorship and intimidation.”
Art Periodic, the organization tasked with fundraising and production for the pavilion, no longer “holds a mandate to proceed with the project” following McKenzie’s intervention. Goliath and Masondo have appealed the decision to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
A spokesperson for the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture denied allegations of censorship, stating McKenzie’s concern was to avoid the pavilion becoming a “proxy arena for geopolitical conflicts.” The spokesperson also alleged a “foreign country” was funding the exhibition, but did not provide further details. McKenzie has also reportedly expressed views contradicting the United Nations’ characterization of the situation in Gaza and vowed to “stop the ICJ case,” referring to South Africa’s genocide charge against Israel.
South Africa will still participate in the 2026 Venice Biennale, but the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture will retain control of “administration and curation.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Who made the final decision to reject the artwork?
The decision originated with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s minister, Gayton McKenzie, according to reporting by Daily Maverick.
What was the original selection committee’s response to the rejection?
The selection committee released a statement on January 8 affirming their support for the artist and curator and rejecting “all forms of censorship and intimidation.”
What is the status of South Africa’s participation in the Venice Biennale?
South Africa will still participate in the 2026 Venice Biennale, but the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture will retain control of “administration and curation.”
As the situation develops, what impact will this decision have on the future of artistic freedom and international representation for South Africa?
