South Africa's culture minister, Gayton McKenzie, has cancelled the country's planned pavilion at the upcoming Venice Biennale, a project by artist Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo. The artist and curator are fighting the decision, appealing to the nation's president and filing a case with the high court.
This political intervention highlights the vulnerability of artistic expression to government overreach and sets a concerning precedent for cultural diplomacy. The episode also pays tribute to the influential gallerist Marian Goodman, who recently died, and discusses a major Cezanne exhibition in Basel, underscoring the podcast's blend of urgent art-world news, legacy, and critical analysis.