New Zealand has opted not to have a national pavilion at next year’s 60th Venice Biennale, which runs from April 20 until November 24, 2024, according to Ocula.
Creative New Zealand, which oversees the country’s participation in the biennale, issued a report reviewing its pavilion at the 59th edition in 2022. It found that, while the benefits of taking part were clear, “key aspects of the selection and delivery of the country’s representation are no longer sustainable.”
In the longer term, New Zealand is seeking an alternative plan for a new national pavilion in 2026, 2028, and 2030, which will involve finding a partner organization or consortium.
The report highlighted “inadequate” resources as a major factor in withdrawing. The pavilion costs approximately NZ$1.2 million ($715,000) to deliver each two-year cycle, with Creative New Zealand contributing NZ$800,000 ($475,000). This is about 1% of the organization’s annual budget, but the complex exhibition delivery process has previously required a workload that the report deemed “unacceptable.”
The report also investigated the artist selection process, finding that “while Māori artists have represented Aotearoa New Zealand at Venice, Western knowledge, artforms and institutions have historically been promoted and valued more.”
“New Zealand’s participation in Venice is currently designed to serve the individual artist,” the report added. “There is opportunity to move the conversation from personal and singular to how representation provides public and collective value for New Zealanders. Personal and public value should be intimately connected.”
