Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie defended cancelling Gabrielle Goliath’s artwork for the 2026 Venice Biennale as protection against a foreign power pushing a Gaza agenda. Evidence indicates Qatar Museums had withdrawn interest in funding before McKenzie’s intervention on 22 December. The move has raised concerns over censorship in South Africa’s arts sector.
Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie stated that he cancelled artist Gabrielle Goliath’s work, Elegy, for the 2026 Venice Biennale to prevent the South African Pavilion from being hijacked by a 'foreign power' promoting a geopolitical message on Israel’s actions in Gaza. However, investigations reveal this claim misrepresents events involving Qatar Museums.
Discussions with Qatar Museums began casually in November 2025 during the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, before any artist selection. The selection committee confirmed Goliath on 6 December, resuming talks on 8 December amid multiple funding explorations. On 9 December, Art Periodic informed Goliath’s team—curator Ingrid Masondo and studio manager James Macdonald—of Qatar’s interest in funding and acquiring the work, a common art world practice.
Goliath’s team, uncomfortable vetting unknown funders, suggested an advisory board, which Art Periodic planned to establish. The proposal was shared confidentially on 11 December, but Qatar expressed reservations about funding a solo exhibition that day, preferring multi-artist projects like their 2024 support for Nigeria’s Pavilion. Technical details and prices followed on 15 December, but interest waned; by 4 January, after cancellation news, Qatar responded: “It sounds sadly political.” Later, they noted: “Sad. But given that climate in SA, it is good that we did not get involved.”
Goliath emphasized Elegy’s independent development over years, addressing femicide in South Africa, Namibia’s colonial genocide, and Gaza killings as a 'work of mourning and repair.' She highlighted: “This expression of interest came without prior knowledge of the selected artist-curator team or the content.” Political commentator Steven Friedman called McKenzie’s stance ironic, given South Africa’s pro-Palestine policy, and questioned President Cyril Ramaphosa’s lack of censure.
Art Periodic’s partnership with the department, announced 5 November 2025, aimed to fund the pavilion privately due to government cuts, with no local funding mandate in documents. McKenzie’s 10 January statement contained inaccuracies, and he has not responded to further queries.