A Statement from Goodman Gallery 15.01.26

Goodman Gallery fundamentally supports the right to freedom of expression. We unequivocally defend and uphold the right of all working artists to express their views freely, including views on Gaza.

This commitment is evident throughout the history of Goodman Gallery and remains central to our ongoing programme. We are proud to platform artists who represent a broad range of faiths, cultures, and political perspectives.

In November, we made the difficult commercial decision to slim down our roster of artists from over 50 to 40, alongside reducing our participation in international art fairs and cutting operational costs related to insurance, shipping, and art storage. These were not last-minute decisions and had been made long before the South African Pavilion at the Venice Biennale selection. Although we learnt of Gabrielle’s selection before we notified her of this change, it did not alter the business decision made.

This 2025 operational restructuring, which included ending formal commercial relationships with eleven artists, forms part of a longer-term process to ensure the sustainability of Goodman Gallery and our ability to continue supporting South African artists. While we recognise that these decisions may be difficult for some to accept, we wish to be clear that they were taken solely for economic reasons, following the widely documented contraction of the international art market. They do not reflect any shift in our values or purpose, which remain steadfast and unchanged.

Our values are deeply rooted in the South African Constitution, which upholds artistic freedom while excluding incitement to violence and hate speech. We have always supported, and will continue to support, our artists in the free exploration of their ideas and practices.

One of the artists affected by the gallery’s restructuring was Gabrielle Goliath. Over more than a decade of collaboration, we actively championed her career, supporting the production and presentation of ambitious works including Elegy at the 2019 PinchukArtCentre Prize exhibition in Venice and Personal Accounts at the 2024 Venice Biennale.

This support extends to the current and ongoing presentation of Personal Accounts at MoMA PS1 in New York, which includes a new chapter addressing Gaza and remains on view, and this edition has been promoted on our social media platform. We support the right of Elegy to be exhibited widely and publically.

Ending a commercial relationship with an artist is not a reflection on the value, integrity, or significance of their work. While we are parting ways for the business reasons outlined above, we maintain full respect for Gabrielle Goliath and her practice, and we wish her every success going forward.

Finally, Goodman Gallery has not been directly involved with the South African Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale at any stage, nor have we been party to any related correspondence or decision-making processes. We also wish to emphasise that at no point have we had any contact with the Minister nor the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. We have seen no correspondence between any of the parties and are unable to comment on or speculate about this matter. We hope that a constructive resolution is reached between the parties involved.