Syndicate: Save the Johannesburg Biennial!

["stephen kovats" <kovats@kolleg.bauhaus-dessau.de>]

Subject: Save the Johannesburg Biennial!

Help us to save the Johannesburg Biennial!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Dear Colleagues
 When Ivo Mesquita was recently fired from the Sao Paulo Bienal for no
apparent reason it was the efforts of the global art community that made

the bureaucrats realise the consequences and reconsider their decision.

 There is sadly a precedent that few are aware of and even fewer speak
 of. In 1997 following the international acclaim and success of the 2nd
 Johannesburg Biennial, artistic director Okwui Enwezor and key members
 of his team were fired without reason, in addition to which the
 Johannesburg City council decided to close the exhibition a month
 earlier than had been scheduled. As a result of the efforts of a few
 individuals the exhibition managed to stay open as scheduled but the
 biennial has not survived.

 More than 3 years has since passed and every effort to begin the
process
 that would culminate in the third Johannesburg Biennial has failed. As
it stands there will never be another Johannesburg Biennial ever again.

Neither the Johannesburg City Council nor the National Government's
Department of Arts and Culture have given any reasons for this
cancellation. Key amongst the reasons inferred is that the Biennial is
not perceived as being important to either South Africa or to the
international art community.

 You can make a difference! If the South African government is made
aware
 of the important role this exhibition plays in life of every African
 artist as well as the significance it has for the international art
 community it will have no option but to change its policy. If the
Johannesburg City Council is made to realise how this single exhibition
has changed the lives and careers of so many key South African artists,
both black and white, then perhaps they would change the minds as to
its vital importance. As it stands the politicians are listening to the
voices of a few individuals in whose interests its lies that the
 exhibition remain canceled forever. Such an important exhibition should

 not get caught up in personal politics and hidden agendas.

Please add your name to the list below and email it to Brigitte
 Mabandla,  the deputy minister of arts and culture
adm03@acts3.wcape.gov.za and <min07@dacst3.wcape.gov.za  asking that
the Johannesburg Biennial be reinstated. If  the South African
 government is made aware of the importance this exhibition they will
 have no option but to  begin the process once again. Please now do for
Johannesburg, for South Africa and for the entire African continent
 what you have done for Sao Paulo:

PLEASE HELP THE JOHANNESBURG BIENNIAL TO SURVIVE BY ADDING YOUR NAME
AND TITLE TO THIS LIST AND PASS IT ALONG TO YOUR COLLEAGUES. ONCE IT
REACHES 50 NAMES PLEASE SEND IT ON TO:

<adm03@acts3.wcape.gov.za> and  <min07@dacst3.wcape.gov.za>
or fax it to
+27-21- 455 6241:2:3:4:5:

1. Valeria Piccoli, Assistant Curator, XXV Bienal de Sao Paulo
2. Veronica Cordeiro, Curatorial Assistant, XXV Bienal de Sao Paulo
3. Ana Paula Cohen, Curatorial Assistant, XXV Bienal de Sao Paulo
4. Carla Zaccagnini, Artist, Curatorial Assistant, XXV Bienal de Sao
Paulo
5. Adriano Pedrosa, Associate Curator, XXV Bienal de Sao Paulo
6. Ivo Mesquita, Chief Curator, XXV Bienal de Sao Paulo
7. Martin Grossmann, Vice Director Museu de Arte Contemporanea-USP
8. Inês Raphaelian, São Paulo, Artist, Independent Curator
9.  Regina Silveira, São Paulo, Artist
10. Nazareth Pacheco , São Paulo, Artist
11. Izabel Murat Burbridge, São Paulo, Translator
12. Monique STUPAR, directeur artistique Poiiters France
13. Paulo Herkenhoff, Adjunct Curator, The Museum of Modern Art, NY
14. Anthony Huberman, Education Coordinator, P.S.1 Contemporary Art
Center,
15. Janet cardiff, Lehtbridge Canada, artist
16. George bures Miller, artist, lehtbirdge, Canada
17. sandra rechico,  artist, toronto
18. joan stebbins, curator lethbridge Canada
19. christina ritchie, curator, art gallery of Ontario, toronto, canada
20. Micah Lexier, artist, New York
21.Michael Klein, artist, Toronto, Canada
22.Paul Litherland, artist, Montreal, Canada
23. Claire Savoie, artist, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
24. Colette Tougas, writer, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
25. Nelson Henricks, artist, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
26. Pierre Beaudoin, artist, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
27. Lars Henrik Gass, director International Short Film Festival
Oberhausen, Germany
28. Stephen Kovats, former director Ostranenie Electronic Media Forum,
Germany


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