Gayton McKenzie defends decision to cancel Art Periodic partnership for Venice Biennale
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has cancelled its working agreement with Art Periodic for South Africa’s participation at the 2026 Venice Biennale, citing concerns that a foreign country may have attempted to influence the exhibition.
The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, said misinformation and misrepresentation had surrounded the decision and clarified that DSAC had not withdrawn any funding for the exhibition.
“The agreement between DSAC and Art Periodic was to make our exhibition space available to Art Periodic to promote the work of a South African artist or artists at the exhibition, with the rental of space at the South African Pavilion in Venice already having been paid for,” McKenzie said.
Concerns arose when it was reported that a foreign country had allegedly agreed to fund South Africa’s exhibition. Art Periodic said the country had intended only to purchase artworks after the Biennale, but McKenzie said the situation still raised red flags.
“It was being alleged that South Africa’s platform was being used as a proxy by a foreign power to endorse a geopolitical message about the actions of Israel in Gaza,” he said.
McKenzie questioned why the country could not “rent its own space and fund its own message to convey its feelings about Israel and Gaza.”
The Minister stressed that South Africa has its own official position on Gaza and that he separates personal views from his role.
“No censorship has been exercised either, but I retain my discretion as the Executive Authority of the Department to promote South African art and artists, and to be wary of artists being paid to become involved in geopolitical narratives that have the potential to cause unneeded division and bring DSAC and my Ministry into disrepute,” McKenzie said.
He also criticised media reporting, claiming journalists had overlooked the funding concerns.
“Even the Daily Maverick journalist was told about this concern, but never mentioned it in his article, presumably because it did not favour the narrative that he was framing against me,” he said.
McKenzie emphasised that South Africa should use platforms like the Venice Biennale to promote its own story.
“We shall give access at the Biennale to artists who promote our country. That is my position, and it is not something I will be bullied or shamed about. I have used, and will always use, every opportunity I have to sell our country to the world, because I am a patriot, and nothing and no one will change that,” he said.
McKenzie said the Department will now retake full control of the South African Pavilion in Venice.
“If our platform is to instead be used by other countries to push their own agendas, then we should give all countries a chance to gain access to our platform and have an equal opportunity to spread their messages by using the South African Pavilion in Venice. That, however, would be insanity,” he said.
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