South African work banned from Venice Biennale to be shown outside main event
South Africa’s Venice pavilion left empty after Gabrielle Goliath’s ‘highly divisive’ tribute to Palestinian poet blocked
TL;DR
- Gabrielle Goliath’s performance art, Elegy, will be exhibited in Venice at the Chiesa di Sant’Antonin church, separate from the main Biennale.
- The South African pavilion will be empty after the government cancelled Goliath's project due to its "highly divisive" tribute to a Palestinian poet.
- Goliath views the cancellation as a dangerous precedent, citing the culture minister's objections.
- Elegy commemorates women killed in acts of sexualised or racialised violence, including a Palestinian poet, Nama women, and a South African student.
- The artist's attempt to overturn the government's decision in court was unsuccessful.