Venice Biennale tension
South African artist Gabrielle Goliath is showing her canceled Biennale project 'Elegy' outside the main event, bringing attention to femicide and LGBTQI+ violence. At the same time, EU lawmakers are urging organizers to block Russia’s return to the 2026 Biennale amid reputational concerns tied to Kremlin links. (theartnewspaper.com) (politico.eu)
Gabrielle Goliath will stage Elegy as an independent exhibition at the Chiesa di Sant’Antonin in Castello from 5 May to 31 July 2026. (artreview.com) South Africa’s sports, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie ordered the pavilion cancelled in early January after seeking changes to a suite of the work that quoted Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada, which the minister described as “highly divisive,” while the pavilion’s independent selection committee publicly dissented. (artnews.com) Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo launched an urgent application in the North Gauteng High Court to overturn the cancellation and the bid was dismissed after a hearing on 11 February by Judge Mamokolo Kubushi. (artreview.com) The Chiesa presentation will include a video iteration of Elegy and the exhibition is scheduled to travel to Ibraaz in London in October 2026. (news24.com (artreview.com)) At least 34 members of the European Parliament have sent a two-page letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos urging suspension of EU funding and “restrictive measures” in response to the Biennale’s decision to readmit Russia. (politico.eu) The MEPs singled out roughly €2 million in EU support allocated to the Biennale over three years, asked for a sanctions‑compliance review of those involved in organizing the Russian pavilion citing alleged links to state conglomerate Rostec, and their intervention followed condemnation from more than 20 European governments and an Italian request that Biennale board member Tamara Gregoretti step down. (politico.eu (euronews.com))
