The Tamesis
However, more details have emerged about the sudden cancellation of Gabrielle Goliath’s planned South African pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Everyday maverick Publish a report on allegations of foreign attempts to interfere with her exhibitions.
South Africa’s culture minister, Gayton McKenzie, controversially said in a statement that he was canceling the Goliath Pavilion not because it was in response to Israel’s war in Gaza, but because another country was trying to buy the works on display there at the end of the exhibition. His statement appears to conflict with previous reports Everyday maverick The article said McKenzie privately labeled Goliath’s pavilion “polarizing.”
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After McKenzie’s statement, Israeli media network news Unconfirmed claims are that the foreign country involved is Qatar. But according to Everyday maverickthe report is not entirely accurate.
In fact, Everyday maverick It was the state-run Qatar Museums, rather than Qatar more broadly, that reportedly wanted access to a video recording elegythe performance Goliath is about to put on. The work also touches on the killing of women and queer people in South Africa and the German-led genocide in Namibia.
As Goliath pointed out Everyday maverickMany of the Biennale pavilions received private and institutional support, some of whom went on to purchase works that were later exhibited there. “The minister’s account betrays a lack of understanding of the economics of the arts and the workings of the Biennale,” she said.
Qatar Museums previously said in a communication shared with the South African publication that it was “pleased to share their interest with our curators at the Art Mill,” a museum under construction housed in a massive former flour mill.
After the exhibit was cancelled, a representative from Qatar Museums wrote in a communication seen by Qatar Museums: Everyday maverick“Sad. But given the climate in SA, it’s a good thing we didn’t get involved.”
Qatar Museums declined to comment art news.
