DA worried about Arts & Culture Minister's withdrawal of SA from Venice Biennale

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has raised concerns over the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture’s decision to withdraw South Africa’s participation from the Venice Biennale, warning that the move could lead to the country’s exclusion or downgrading on international cultural platforms.

Just days before the submission deadline for the 61st edition of the Venice Biennale, Minister Gayton McKenzie revoked State support for the selected artist, Gabrielle Goliath.

McKenzie cited concerns about Goliath’s proposed work, Elegy, arguing that it did not align with South Africa’s national narrative.

The work centres on social issues, including femicide and the killing of LGBTQI+ people in South Africa, the genocide of women in Namibia under German colonial rule, and the deaths of women and children in Gaza.

In a statement, McKenzie said Elegy did not promote South Africa and instead focused on issues he deemed divisive.

“This foreign country has its own resources, so why not rent its own space and fund its own message to convey its feelings about Israel and Gaza?” he said.

McKenzie further stated that South Africa’s pavilion was being “used as a proxy by a foreign power to endorse a geopolitical message about the actions of Israel in Gaza”.

The South African Society of Artists (SASA) has also voiced its concerns over the minister’s decision, stating that credible judges were entrusted with the process. President of SASA Irene Oxley shared her thoughts.

“A panel of judges, who are experts in their field, having been briefed, are tasked with the delicate job of choosing an art piece to represent ‘something’, however if they are not briefed correctly, the judging will always go awry,” she wrote.

“The question is, who briefed the judges? If Mr McKenzie has a strong and fair knowledge of the art world, then perhaps he should have been on the panel?”

The decision has been met with strong criticism from the arts sector and civil society, with many warning that it threatens artistic freedom and freedom of expression.

The DA’s spokesperson on Arts and Culture, Leah Potgieter, cautioned that the reasoning provided by the minister sets a dangerous precedent.

“If this type of behaviour is normalised, it spreads across governments. Silence now becomes consent later on. Today it’s artists, tomorrow it’s authors, and then it’s journalists,” Potgieter said.

She added that artists expressing views on global or national issues should not be expected to align their work with the political stance of those in power.

The DA has since lodged a complaint with the Public Protector, alleging that the minister acted beyond his lawful authority and undermined due process.

“A transparent and lawful process was concluded where an independent panel of art critics and experts selected Gabrielle Goliath’s work for the Venice exhibition,” Potgieter said.

She added that the withdrawal of support came after the minister requested changes to the artwork, which the artist declined.

“The reasoning given is vague and extends beyond the scope of the art world. It raises serious concerns about political interference in independent cultural processes,” Potgieter said.