South Africa has opted out of presenting a performance at the 2026 Venice Biennale that mourned victims of what artist Gabrielle Goliath termed Israel’s genocide in Gaza. A spokesperson for the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture conveyed to Hyperallergic that the pavilion should highlight South Africa’s narrative and not engage in divisive global issues. The project, proposed by Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo, was initially selected by an independent committee in December.
The decision to remove the performance, titled Elegy, was reportedly made by Gayton McKenzie, Minister of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and founder of the Patriotic Alliance party. According to Daily Maverick, McKenzie opposed the work’s focus on the conflict between Israel and Gaza, citing it as a contentious topic. He allegedly threatened South Africa’s withdrawal from the Biennale if the project proceeded, a move criticized as unconstitutional by the selection committee.
In response, the committee issued an open letter on January 8, defending their choice and supporting the artist’s freedom of expression. The letter, signed by Greer Valley, Molemo Moiloa, Nomusa Makhubu, Sean O’Toole, and Tumelo Mosaka, condemned censorship and highlighted Elegy’s themes of intimacy and reflection.
Art Periodic, the organization appointed to fund and produce the pavilion, announced it no longer had the mandate to continue with the project. South Africa Friends of Israel released a video allegedly showing McKenzie denying a genocide in Gaza. He also expressed intentions to halt South Africa’s charges against Israel at the International Court of Justice if elected president.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture denied allegations of censorship, emphasizing that the pavilion should not serve as a battleground for geopolitical conflicts. Meanwhile, Goliath and Masondo have appealed the decision to President Cyril Ramaphosa, seeking support from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. South Africa plans to participate in the Venice Biennale, with the department maintaining control over the pavilion’s administration and curation.
