"On January 22, artist Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo filed a founding affidavit in the High Court of South Africa in Pretoria, stating their intention to challenge South African Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie's unilateral decision to terminate the video and performance series, Elegy, at its national pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale. McKenzie had attempted to characterize Goliath's piece, which would have centered Palestinians enduring genocide in Gaza, as "highly divisive" and not aligned with South Africa's interests - even though the country famously brought a legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague over allegations of genocide in Gaza."
"Reviewed by Hyperallergic, the affidavit requests that the Minister's "interference with and obstruction of the implementation of the decision" be "set aside," as it "is unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid." Notably, a central figure in the legal team representing Goliath and Masondo is Adila Hassim, a member of the legal team that brought South Africa's case to the ICJ."
Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo filed a founding affidavit in Pretoria's High Court to challenge Minister Gayton McKenzie's termination of Elegy at South Africa's 2026 Venice Biennale pavilion. The work would have centered Palestinians enduring genocide in Gaza, and McKenzie described it as "highly divisive" and not aligned with national interests. The affidavit asks that the Minister's interference be set aside as unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid. Adila Hassim, who was part of South Africa's ICJ legal team, is on the legal team representing Goliath and Masondo. The cancellation exemplifies mechanisms of state censorship used to silence politically sensitive art.
Read at Hyperallergic
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