Artist loses court battle against Gayton McKenzie over Venice Biennale decision

From left to right: Artist Gabrielle Goliath and Minister Gayton McKenzie. Pictures: Instagram and Oupa Bopape/Gallo Images via Getty Images Artist Gabrielle Goliath has lost her legal bid to overturn a decision by Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie to halt South Africa’s participation at the 61st Venice Biennale. The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday dismissed Goliath’s urgent application to reinstate her planned artwork for the exhibition.

Goliath’s piece, titled Elegy, was selected by an independent committee to be exhibited in Venice. Elegy is a performance and video installation made up of eight ritual laments. It explores interconnected histories of grief, from femicide in South Africa and the erasure of Nama life-worlds in Namibia, to the displacement and killing of Palestinian civilians.

The ruling means Goliath will not represent South Africa at the international art event. In early January, McKenzie cancelled the South African pavilion showing and described the work as “highly divisive”. He said the decision was based on concerns about the piece’s content in relation to the ongoing global conflict.

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“It would not be wise nor defensible for South Africa to support an art installation against a country currently accused of genocide while we are also fielding unjustified accusations of genocide,” McKenzie said. “The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture cannot support such a highly divisive political narrative on what remains our platform as a country.” According toDaily Maverick, Goliath expressed disappointment in the ruling.

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