South Africa Pulls Out of Venice Biennale After Gaza Artwork Furor

South Africa will not host a pavilion at this year’s Venice Biennale, the culture ministry said Friday, even after the government won a court case over its choice of artist for the event. A judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by the artist Gabrielle Goliath that sought to force the ministry to send her to Venice with a Gaza-focused artwork.

Stacey-Lee Khojane, a ministry spokeswoman, said in a WhatsApp message that while the government welcomed the ruling, “there will not be a South African-government-backed exhibition” at this year’s event. The Venice Biennale, sometimes described as the Olympics of the art world, runs from May 9 to Nov.

22. South Africa has sent artists to every biennale since 2011 and holds a long-term lease on a space in Venice. Annchen Bronkowski, a University of Cape Town researcher, called the decision not to go “really embarrassing” for a country with one of the most robust art worlds on the continent, and noted that some lawmakers have long seen the biennale as a low priority.

South Africa, Venice

south africa, venice biennale, gaza artwork, gabrielle goliath, culture ministry, court case, pavilion, annchen bronkowski, art world, long-term lease