Artists are aghast at New Zealand's decision to not stage a national pavilion at next year's Venice Biennale, saying it will damage Kiwi artists' reputation in the art world.
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Creative NZ has confirmed it will not stage a pavilion in 2024, opting against national representation in what is widely considered the world's most significant contemporary art exhibition.
Staged every two years, La Biennale d'Arte di Venezia brings together national pavilions from dozens of countries in the historic Italian port city.
Judy Millar, who exhibited Giraffe-Bottle Gun'on behalf of New Zealand at the 2009 biennale, said the decision was "inconceivable".
"It is the only opportunity we get to select, for ourselves as a country, an artist to appear on the world stage," she said.
"The Venice Biennale is the only time when we can be sure that our artists are included in global art discussion, and just as importantly we get to dictate the terms on which their work is seen and discussed.
"At a time when the art world is looking to include artists from the 'global south', in a way that has never happened before, it is inconceivable that we don't seize the moment to select and present an artist from Aotearoa in the way that we get to determine and contextualise."
Arts Minister Carmel Sepuloni and Associate Arts Minister Willow-Jean Prime both declined comment, referring the matter to Creative NZ.
The decision was flagged first last year and confirmed this week after a Creative NZ review recommended the pause to build capacity.
Creative NZ has committed to staging pavilions in 2026, 2028 and 2030.
In 2024, it will partner with the Australia Council to support two artists from NZ and the Pacific in a "capability programme" including "tailored workshops" in Venice.
Creative NZ will also support four artists to create new works for the international exhibition.
The decision will not save money: Creative NZ will maintain its allocation of $NZ850,000 ($A786,000) for each two-year cycle, which is typically topped by by art philanthropists.
AAP has spoken to a number of artists who were disappointed with Creative NZ's decision, but only Ms Millar wanted to put her concerns on the record.
"Certainly, my participation in the NZ Pavilion in 2009 has substantially assisted my growth as an artist in every way," she said.
"The Venice Biennale opens doors, and those doors stay ajar for all of us.
"Not putting up a National Pavilion in 2024 means a four-year gap between appearances in Venice, long enough for contacts to dissolve and the art world to move on without us.
"If we truly care about sustainable careers in the arts in Aotearoa this can only be seen as a short-sighted decision. I feel deeply for the artists who will miss out on opportunities because this decision has been taken."
Australian Associated Press
