"In January 2026, South African artist Gabrielle Goliath's pavilion for the Venice Biennale was cancelled by the country's Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, after Goliath refused to remove references to Gaza from her acclaimed long-term performance project 'Elegy' (2015-ongoing). Despite this all-too-familiar political scandal, the multi-channel video installation was mounted off-site in the Chiesa di Sant'Antonin, as an independent exhibition, realized in partnership with Ibraaz and other supporters."
"The installation, which is described as a "call to mourn," is one of the most moving works on view during the Biennale this year. The show is made up of three newly realized video works that document staged performances of Goliath's 'Elegy' across South Africa and the world. In them, a group of seven women singers collectively sing a single tone for the course of an hour; as one singer falters, the other steps in."
"The recent performances shown here are responses to ongoing racial and sexualized violence, and commemorate, in turn, South African student Ipeleng Christine Moholane, two murdered Nama women ancestors and Palestinian poet Heba Abunada, killed in Gaza in October 2023. To accompany the last suite of 'Elegy,' the artist commissioned an experimental ghazal, written by South African poet Maneo Mohale. The fifth and final screen in the suite remains empty, as a "specter of genocide" and a call for future performances."
A South African pavilion for the Venice Biennale was cancelled after the artist refused to remove Gaza references from a long-term performance project. The work was instead mounted off-site in the Chiesa di Sant’Antonin as an independent exhibition supported by partners. The installation presents three newly realized video works documenting staged performances of Elegy across South Africa and elsewhere. Seven women singers collectively sustain a single tone for an hour, with one singer faltering and others stepping in. The performances respond to ongoing racial and sexualized violence and commemorate specific victims, including South African and Palestinian figures. An experimental ghazal accompanies the final suite, while a fifth screen remains empty as a specter of genocide and a call for future performances.
Read at Berlin Art Link
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