The Department of Arts and Culture have announced the curatorial vision and artists for this year’s South African Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.  With three weeks to go before the opening of the Biennale itself the curators have selected 13 artists with, according to the release, ‘some artists still to be confirmed’.  The press release also confirms the curator’s (Christopher Till and Jeremy Rose) approach, stating that the exhibition, What remains is tomorrow, will ‘present an array of works by artists who are deeply invested in local iterations of power, freedom, and civil liberty’.

There are still however questions as to why there are artists ‘still to be confirmed’ as this confirmation had to occur in the proposal itself sent to the Department some weeks ago.  What is more with three weeks to go there remains some question as to whether they will be able to clear the art works through the Italian customs, let alone set up and curate the exhibition, by the deadline of the 6 May.  What is more like the last iteration in 2013 certain names amongst the artists may raise some eyebrows.

List of artists provided by the press release:

Willem Boshoff
Haroon Gunn-Salie
Angus Gibson
Mark Lewis
Gerald Machona
Mohau Modisakeng
Nandipha Mntambo
Brett Murray
Jo Ractliffe
Robin Rhode
Warrick Sony
Diane Victor
Jeremy Wafer