{"id":1790419,"date":"2026-02-23T11:00:06","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T08:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1790419"},"modified":"2026-02-23T11:00:06","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T08:00:06","slug":"south-africas-fiasco-in-venice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1790419","title":{"rendered":"South Africa&#8217;s Fiasco in Venice"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><main class=\"gh-main\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"gh-article post tag-daily-newsletter tag-newsletter no-image\">\n<header class=\"gh-article-header gh-canvas\">\n<p>                Daily Newsletter<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"gh-article-title is-title\">South Africa&#8217;s Fiasco in Venice<\/h1>\n<p class=\"gh-article-excerpt is-body\">South Africa withdraws from the Venice Biennale, Glenn Ligon and the color blue, and your guide to art in DC this spring.<\/p>\n<div class=\"gh-article-meta\">\n<div class=\"gh-article-author-image instapaper_ignore\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-profile-image\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/size\/w160\/2025\/11\/hyperallergic-favicon-d-blank-r-g-s-500.png\" alt=\"Hyperallergic\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"gh-article-meta-wrapper\">\n<h4 class=\"gh-article-author-name\">Hyperallergic<\/h4>\n<div class=\"gh-article-meta-content\"><time class=\"gh-article-meta-date\" datetime=\"2026-02-23\">February 23, 2026<\/time><span class=\"gh-article-meta-length\"><span class=\"bull\">\u2014<\/span> 4 min read<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<section class=\"gh-content gh-canvas is-body\">\n<p>&#8220;Read, ponder, and rise up before it\u2019s too late!&#8221; urge artists Coco Fusco and Noah Fischer, back with the fourth edition of <em>The Siren<\/em>. Yes, we&#8217;re exhausted \u2014 and so are they. But their antidote comes in the form of this razor-sharp satirical publication, a steady source of humor and strength. The latest edition pokes fun at the absurdist cruelty of MAGA and rallies artists and writers, including Pamela Sneed and Pablo Helguera, to envision what resistance can look like right now, from Orwellian comic strips to the whistle you carry in your pocket.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2014Lakshmi Rivera Amin, associate editor<\/em><\/p>\n<hr>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/the-siren-issue-4-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\"><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"the-us-department-of-hate\">The US Department of Hate<\/h3>\n<p>Stop the doomscrolling and get your dopamine rush of the day with satirical comics, Orwellian quotes, and political screeds in <em>The Siren<\/em> instead. As the editors reminded us in their first edition, &#8220;Nothing irks those who believe in their absolute power more than being laughed at.&#8221; Isn&#8217;t that the truth?<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div class=\"kg-card kg-cta-card kg-cta-bg-white kg-cta-immersive  kg-cta-has-img  \" data-layout=\"immersive\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label\"><span>SPONSORED<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-image-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/RedStairwell16x26-2-1.jpeg\" alt=\"CTA Image\" data-image-dimensions=\"1200x675\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content-inner\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-text\">\n<p><b><strong>Mitchell Johnson\u2019s Personal Color at Galerie Mercier in Paris<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>Intimate paintings spanning nearly four decades of the artist\u2019s career are on view at the gallery from February 28 to March 21.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                            Learn more<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"news\">News<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/goliath-and-masondo-1.jpeg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"><figcaption><span>Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo\u2019s biennale proposal was scrapped in January. (photo by ZUNIS, courtesy Gabrielle Goliath studio)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li>Weeks after canceling a pavilion proposal over its mention of the genocide in Gaza, South Africa has withdrawn from the Venice Biennale altogether.<\/li>\n<li>We&#8217;re long overdue for a global baby animal phenomenon. A baby macaque and his stuffed orangutan at a Japanese zoo, which have inspired fan art worldwide, are here to save the day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"from-our-critics\">From Our Critics<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/squeak-c-ancestors-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1087\" height=\"611\"><figcaption><span>Squeak Carnwath, \u201cAncestors and Future Ghosts\u201d (2023), oil and alkyd on canvas over panel (image courtesy the artist and Jane Lombard Gallery)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"squeak-carnwath-paints-her-own-path\">Squeak Carnwath Paints Her Own Path<\/h3>\n<p>This artist rejects the notion that paint as a medium inevitably becomes exhausted, incapable of making something, however broken it may be. | John Yau<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"a-cold-plunge-into-glenn-ligon%E2%80%99s-blue\">A Cold Plunge Into Glenn Ligon\u2019s Blue<\/h3>\n<p>New works exemplify a line of inquiry central to the artist\u2019s practice: How might language and color merge to birth figuration? | Daria Simone Harper<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"america-turns-250\">America Turns 250<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/fritz-scholder-bicentennial-indian-1-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\"><figcaption><span>Fritz Scholder, &#8220;Bicentennial Indian&#8221; (1975), color lithograph on wove paper (\u00a9 Fritz Scholder Estate &amp; LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM; image courtesy National Gallery of Art, Corcoran Collection)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"10-art-shows-to-see-in-dc-this-spring\">10 Art Shows to See in DC This Spring<\/h3>\n<p>Nick Cave links landscapes and race, Mary Cassatt in Paris, Joan Danzinger\u2019s sculpted universe, America through the eyes of its artists, and more. | Emma Cieslik<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"member-comment\">Member Comment<\/h2>\n<p>Christopher Wangro on Maya Pontone\u2019s \u201cTracing Queer History Through NYC\u2019s Public Parks\u201d:<\/p>\n<div class=\"kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-yellow\">\n<div class=\"kg-callout-text\">Great stuff. Worth noting too is the story of The Aids Walk in Central Pk. For many years AIDS Walk organizers were kept out of the pk, yet after much effort by The Walk&#8217;s leadership and the NYC Pks Office of Special Events the event was welcomed into the Great Lawn. This only happened once NYC transitioned mayors from Ed Koch to David Dinkins &#8211; and importantly once a new commissioner was appointed. Having been there I can remember the meeting when the newly appointed Pks Commissioner Betsy Gotbaum agreed with the events team to allow the AIDS Walk to use The Great Lawn &#8211; the crowned jewl of NYC event locations. At the time this decision was cause for celebration. The move exponentially increased attendance and allowed for truly substantial increase in revenue. At one point upwards of 30,000 gathered on the lawn for the AIDS Walk. In recent years pressure from private groups has pushed this and other events from the Great Lawn; yet the event remains in Central Pk Bandshell with reports of crowds of more than 45,000 at the event&#8217;s peak.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<div class=\"kg-card kg-cta-card kg-cta-bg-grey kg-cta-minimal    \" data-layout=\"minimal\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label\"><span>FEATURED OPPORTUNITY<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content-inner\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-text\">\n<p><b><strong>Wilmers Integrity Prize<\/strong><\/b><br \/><span>This annual award honors changemakers striving to better our world across a range of fields. The winner receives $50,000, finalists $5,000. Given to transformative individuals whose leadership and execution show promise for broader influence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Deadline: March 31, 2026 |\u00a0<\/span><span>wilmersintegrityprize.org<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>See more in\u00a0this month\u2019s list of opportunities\u00a0for artists, writers, and art workers!<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"icymi\">ICYMI<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/g-gliath-personal-accounts-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"><figcaption><span>A visitor at <\/span><i><em class=\"italic\">Personal Accounts<\/em><\/i><span> (2024) by Gabrielle Goliath at the previous Venice Biennale exhibition in April 2024 (photo by Gabriel Bouys\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"the-south-african-pavilion-is-betraying-its-own-history\">The South African Pavilion Is Betraying Its Own History<\/h3>\n<p>The same government that has held Israel accountable for its genocide in Gaza must revoke its culture minister\u2019s decision to axe the Venice Biennale performance. | Christina Sharpe and Rinaldo Walcott<\/p>\n<hr>\n<ul class=\"post-tags\">\n<li>\n                        Daily Newsletter\n                      <\/li>\n<li>\n                        Newsletter\n                      <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/main><\/p>\n<article class=\"gh-article post tag-daily-newsletter tag-newsletter no-image\">\n<header class=\"gh-article-header gh-canvas\">\n<p>                Daily Newsletter<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"gh-article-title is-title\">South Africa&#8217;s Fiasco in Venice<\/h1>\n<p class=\"gh-article-excerpt is-body\">South Africa withdraws from the Venice Biennale, Glenn Ligon and the color blue, and your guide to art in DC this spring.<\/p>\n<div class=\"gh-article-meta\">\n<div class=\"gh-article-author-image instapaper_ignore\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-profile-image\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/size\/w160\/2025\/11\/hyperallergic-favicon-d-blank-r-g-s-500.png\" alt=\"Hyperallergic\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"gh-article-meta-wrapper\">\n<h4 class=\"gh-article-author-name\">Hyperallergic<\/h4>\n<div class=\"gh-article-meta-content\"><time class=\"gh-article-meta-date\" datetime=\"2026-02-23\">February 23, 2026<\/time><span class=\"gh-article-meta-length\"><span class=\"bull\">\u2014<\/span> 4 min read<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<section class=\"gh-content gh-canvas is-body\">\n<p>&#8220;Read, ponder, and rise up before it\u2019s too late!&#8221; urge artists Coco Fusco and Noah Fischer, back with the fourth edition of <em>The Siren<\/em>. Yes, we&#8217;re exhausted \u2014 and so are they. But their antidote comes in the form of this razor-sharp satirical publication, a steady source of humor and strength. The latest edition pokes fun at the absurdist cruelty of MAGA and rallies artists and writers, including Pamela Sneed and Pablo Helguera, to envision what resistance can look like right now, from Orwellian comic strips to the whistle you carry in your pocket.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2014Lakshmi Rivera Amin, associate editor<\/em><\/p>\n<hr>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/the-siren-issue-4-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\"><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"the-us-department-of-hate\">The US Department of Hate<\/h3>\n<p>Stop the doomscrolling and get your dopamine rush of the day with satirical comics, Orwellian quotes, and political screeds in <em>The Siren<\/em> instead. As the editors reminded us in their first edition, &#8220;Nothing irks those who believe in their absolute power more than being laughed at.&#8221; Isn&#8217;t that the truth?<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div class=\"kg-card kg-cta-card kg-cta-bg-white kg-cta-immersive  kg-cta-has-img  \" data-layout=\"immersive\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label\"><span>SPONSORED<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-image-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/RedStairwell16x26-2-1.jpeg\" alt=\"CTA Image\" data-image-dimensions=\"1200x675\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content-inner\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-text\">\n<p><b><strong>Mitchell Johnson\u2019s Personal Color at Galerie Mercier in Paris<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>Intimate paintings spanning nearly four decades of the artist\u2019s career are on view at the gallery from February 28 to March 21.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                            Learn more<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"news\">News<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/goliath-and-masondo-1.jpeg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"><figcaption><span>Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo\u2019s biennale proposal was scrapped in January. (photo by ZUNIS, courtesy Gabrielle Goliath studio)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li>Weeks after canceling a pavilion proposal over its mention of the genocide in Gaza, South Africa has withdrawn from the Venice Biennale altogether.<\/li>\n<li>We&#8217;re long overdue for a global baby animal phenomenon. A baby macaque and his stuffed orangutan at a Japanese zoo, which have inspired fan art worldwide, are here to save the day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"from-our-critics\">From Our Critics<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/squeak-c-ancestors-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1087\" height=\"611\"><figcaption><span>Squeak Carnwath, \u201cAncestors and Future Ghosts\u201d (2023), oil and alkyd on canvas over panel (image courtesy the artist and Jane Lombard Gallery)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"squeak-carnwath-paints-her-own-path\">Squeak Carnwath Paints Her Own Path<\/h3>\n<p>This artist rejects the notion that paint as a medium inevitably becomes exhausted, incapable of making something, however broken it may be. | John Yau<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"a-cold-plunge-into-glenn-ligon%E2%80%99s-blue\">A Cold Plunge Into Glenn Ligon\u2019s Blue<\/h3>\n<p>New works exemplify a line of inquiry central to the artist\u2019s practice: How might language and color merge to birth figuration? | Daria Simone Harper<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"america-turns-250\">America Turns 250<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/fritz-scholder-bicentennial-indian-1-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\"><figcaption><span>Fritz Scholder, &#8220;Bicentennial Indian&#8221; (1975), color lithograph on wove paper (\u00a9 Fritz Scholder Estate &amp; LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM; image courtesy National Gallery of Art, Corcoran Collection)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"10-art-shows-to-see-in-dc-this-spring\">10 Art Shows to See in DC This Spring<\/h3>\n<p>Nick Cave links landscapes and race, Mary Cassatt in Paris, Joan Danzinger\u2019s sculpted universe, America through the eyes of its artists, and more. | Emma Cieslik<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"member-comment\">Member Comment<\/h2>\n<p>Christopher Wangro on Maya Pontone\u2019s \u201cTracing Queer History Through NYC\u2019s Public Parks\u201d:<\/p>\n<div class=\"kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-yellow\">\n<div class=\"kg-callout-text\">Great stuff. Worth noting too is the story of The Aids Walk in Central Pk. For many years AIDS Walk organizers were kept out of the pk, yet after much effort by The Walk&#8217;s leadership and the NYC Pks Office of Special Events the event was welcomed into the Great Lawn. This only happened once NYC transitioned mayors from Ed Koch to David Dinkins &#8211; and importantly once a new commissioner was appointed. Having been there I can remember the meeting when the newly appointed Pks Commissioner Betsy Gotbaum agreed with the events team to allow the AIDS Walk to use The Great Lawn &#8211; the crowned jewl of NYC event locations. At the time this decision was cause for celebration. The move exponentially increased attendance and allowed for truly substantial increase in revenue. At one point upwards of 30,000 gathered on the lawn for the AIDS Walk. In recent years pressure from private groups has pushed this and other events from the Great Lawn; yet the event remains in Central Pk Bandshell with reports of crowds of more than 45,000 at the event&#8217;s peak.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<div class=\"kg-card kg-cta-card kg-cta-bg-grey kg-cta-minimal    \" data-layout=\"minimal\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label\"><span>FEATURED OPPORTUNITY<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content-inner\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-text\">\n<p><b><strong>Wilmers Integrity Prize<\/strong><\/b><br \/><span>This annual award honors changemakers striving to better our world across a range of fields. The winner receives $50,000, finalists $5,000. Given to transformative individuals whose leadership and execution show promise for broader influence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Deadline: March 31, 2026 |\u00a0<\/span><span>wilmersintegrityprize.org<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>See more in\u00a0this month\u2019s list of opportunities\u00a0for artists, writers, and art workers!<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"icymi\">ICYMI<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/g-gliath-personal-accounts-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"><figcaption><span>A visitor at <\/span><i><em class=\"italic\">Personal Accounts<\/em><\/i><span> (2024) by Gabrielle Goliath at the previous Venice Biennale exhibition in April 2024 (photo by Gabriel Bouys\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"the-south-african-pavilion-is-betraying-its-own-history\">The South African Pavilion Is Betraying Its Own History<\/h3>\n<p>The same government that has held Israel accountable for its genocide in Gaza must revoke its culture minister\u2019s decision to axe the Venice Biennale performance. | Christina Sharpe and Rinaldo Walcott<\/p>\n<hr>\n<ul class=\"post-tags\">\n<li>\n                        Daily Newsletter\n                      <\/li>\n<li>\n                        Newsletter\n                      <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<section class=\"gh-content gh-canvas is-body\">\n<p>&#8220;Read, ponder, and rise up before it\u2019s too late!&#8221; urge artists Coco Fusco and Noah Fischer, back with the fourth edition of <em>The Siren<\/em>. Yes, we&#8217;re exhausted \u2014 and so are they. But their antidote comes in the form of this razor-sharp satirical publication, a steady source of humor and strength. The latest edition pokes fun at the absurdist cruelty of MAGA and rallies artists and writers, including Pamela Sneed and Pablo Helguera, to envision what resistance can look like right now, from Orwellian comic strips to the whistle you carry in your pocket.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2014Lakshmi Rivera Amin, associate editor<\/em><\/p>\n<hr>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/the-siren-issue-4-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\"><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"the-us-department-of-hate\">The US Department of Hate<\/h3>\n<p>Stop the doomscrolling and get your dopamine rush of the day with satirical comics, Orwellian quotes, and political screeds in <em>The Siren<\/em> instead. As the editors reminded us in their first edition, &#8220;Nothing irks those who believe in their absolute power more than being laughed at.&#8221; Isn&#8217;t that the truth?<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div class=\"kg-card kg-cta-card kg-cta-bg-white kg-cta-immersive  kg-cta-has-img  \" data-layout=\"immersive\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label\"><span>SPONSORED<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-image-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/RedStairwell16x26-2-1.jpeg\" alt=\"CTA Image\" data-image-dimensions=\"1200x675\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content-inner\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-text\">\n<p><b><strong>Mitchell Johnson\u2019s Personal Color at Galerie Mercier in Paris<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>Intimate paintings spanning nearly four decades of the artist\u2019s career are on view at the gallery from February 28 to March 21.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                            Learn more<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"news\">News<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/goliath-and-masondo-1.jpeg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"><figcaption><span>Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo\u2019s biennale proposal was scrapped in January. (photo by ZUNIS, courtesy Gabrielle Goliath studio)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li>Weeks after canceling a pavilion proposal over its mention of the genocide in Gaza, South Africa has withdrawn from the Venice Biennale altogether.<\/li>\n<li>We&#8217;re long overdue for a global baby animal phenomenon. A baby macaque and his stuffed orangutan at a Japanese zoo, which have inspired fan art worldwide, are here to save the day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"from-our-critics\">From Our Critics<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/squeak-c-ancestors-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1087\" height=\"611\"><figcaption><span>Squeak Carnwath, \u201cAncestors and Future Ghosts\u201d (2023), oil and alkyd on canvas over panel (image courtesy the artist and Jane Lombard Gallery)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"squeak-carnwath-paints-her-own-path\">Squeak Carnwath Paints Her Own Path<\/h3>\n<p>This artist rejects the notion that paint as a medium inevitably becomes exhausted, incapable of making something, however broken it may be. | John Yau<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"a-cold-plunge-into-glenn-ligon%E2%80%99s-blue\">A Cold Plunge Into Glenn Ligon\u2019s Blue<\/h3>\n<p>New works exemplify a line of inquiry central to the artist\u2019s practice: How might language and color merge to birth figuration? | Daria Simone Harper<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"america-turns-250\">America Turns 250<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/fritz-scholder-bicentennial-indian-1-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\"><figcaption><span>Fritz Scholder, &#8220;Bicentennial Indian&#8221; (1975), color lithograph on wove paper (\u00a9 Fritz Scholder Estate &amp; LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM; image courtesy National Gallery of Art, Corcoran Collection)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"10-art-shows-to-see-in-dc-this-spring\">10 Art Shows to See in DC This Spring<\/h3>\n<p>Nick Cave links landscapes and race, Mary Cassatt in Paris, Joan Danzinger\u2019s sculpted universe, America through the eyes of its artists, and more. | Emma Cieslik<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"member-comment\">Member Comment<\/h2>\n<p>Christopher Wangro on Maya Pontone\u2019s \u201cTracing Queer History Through NYC\u2019s Public Parks\u201d:<\/p>\n<div class=\"kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-yellow\">\n<div class=\"kg-callout-text\">Great stuff. Worth noting too is the story of The Aids Walk in Central Pk. For many years AIDS Walk organizers were kept out of the pk, yet after much effort by The Walk&#8217;s leadership and the NYC Pks Office of Special Events the event was welcomed into the Great Lawn. This only happened once NYC transitioned mayors from Ed Koch to David Dinkins &#8211; and importantly once a new commissioner was appointed. Having been there I can remember the meeting when the newly appointed Pks Commissioner Betsy Gotbaum agreed with the events team to allow the AIDS Walk to use The Great Lawn &#8211; the crowned jewl of NYC event locations. At the time this decision was cause for celebration. The move exponentially increased attendance and allowed for truly substantial increase in revenue. At one point upwards of 30,000 gathered on the lawn for the AIDS Walk. In recent years pressure from private groups has pushed this and other events from the Great Lawn; yet the event remains in Central Pk Bandshell with reports of crowds of more than 45,000 at the event&#8217;s peak.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<div class=\"kg-card kg-cta-card kg-cta-bg-grey kg-cta-minimal    \" data-layout=\"minimal\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-sponsor-label\"><span>FEATURED OPPORTUNITY<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-content-inner\">\n<div class=\"kg-cta-text\">\n<p><b><strong>Wilmers Integrity Prize<\/strong><\/b><br \/><span>This annual award honors changemakers striving to better our world across a range of fields. The winner receives $50,000, finalists $5,000. Given to transformative individuals whose leadership and execution show promise for broader influence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Deadline: March 31, 2026 |\u00a0<\/span><span>wilmersintegrityprize.org<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>See more in\u00a0this month\u2019s list of opportunities\u00a0for artists, writers, and art workers!<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"icymi\">ICYMI<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/2026\/02\/g-gliath-personal-accounts-1.jpg\" class=\"kg-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"><figcaption><span>A visitor at <\/span><i><em class=\"italic\">Personal Accounts<\/em><\/i><span> (2024) by Gabrielle Goliath at the previous Venice Biennale exhibition in April 2024 (photo by Gabriel Bouys\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"the-south-african-pavilion-is-betraying-its-own-history\">The South African Pavilion Is Betraying Its Own History<\/h3>\n<p>The same government that has held Israel accountable for its genocide in Gaza must revoke its culture minister\u2019s decision to axe the Venice Biennale performance. | Christina Sharpe and Rinaldo Walcott<\/p>\n<hr>\n<ul class=\"post-tags\">\n<li>\n                        Daily Newsletter\n                      <\/li>\n<li>\n                        Newsletter\n                      <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<article class=\"gh-card post\">\n<figure class=\"gh-card-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/size\/w600\/2026\/02\/E2017.8-d1-2017-03-10-1.jpg\" alt=\"Detroit Institute of Arts Reinstalls African American Galleries at the Heart of the Museum\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gh-card-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"gh-card-title is-title\">Detroit Institute of Arts Reinstalls African American Galleries at the Heart of the Museum<\/h3>\n<p class=\"gh-card-excerpt is-body\">African American art history has often been underrepresented. \u201cReimagine African American Art\u201d invites visitors to discover transformative works across two centuries.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"gh-card-meta\"><span class=\"gh-card-author\">Detroit Institute of Arts<\/span><\/footer>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"gh-card post\">\n<figure class=\"gh-card-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/size\/w600\/2026\/02\/AdDigital-2400X1350-_Hyperallergic.jpg\" alt=\"Prisoners of Love: Until the Sun of Freedom\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gh-card-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"gh-card-title is-title\">Prisoners of Love: Until the Sun of Freedom<\/h3>\n<p class=\"gh-card-excerpt is-body\">The only US presentation of this exhibition by renowned artists Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme is on view at The Bell Gallery, Brown University. <\/p>\n<footer class=\"gh-card-meta\"><span class=\"gh-card-author\">The Bell<\/span><\/footer>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"gh-card post\">\n<figure class=\"gh-card-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/size\/w600\/2026\/02\/RedStairwell16x26-2.jpeg\" alt=\"Mitchell Johnson\u2019s Personal Color at Galerie Mercier in Paris\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gh-card-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"gh-card-title is-title\">Mitchell Johnson\u2019s Personal Color at Galerie Mercier in Paris<\/h3>\n<p class=\"gh-card-excerpt is-body\">Intimate paintings spanning nearly four decades of the artist\u2019s career are on view at the gallery from February 28 to March 21.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"gh-card-meta\"><span class=\"gh-card-author\">Mitchell Johnson<\/span><\/footer>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"gh-card post\">\n<figure class=\"gh-card-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/content\/images\/size\/w600\/2026\/02\/PrintFair-209-2.jpg\" alt=\"Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair Returns to Powerhouse Arts This Spring\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gh-card-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"gh-card-title is-title\">Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair Returns to Powerhouse Arts This Spring<\/h3>\n<p class=\"gh-card-excerpt is-body\">Over 50 exhibitors, hands-on programming, and a juried print exhibition make up the fair\u2019s expanded second edition. April 9\u201312, 2026.\n<\/p>\n<footer class=\"gh-card-meta\"><span class=\"gh-card-author\">Powerhouse Arts<\/span><\/footer>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/the-siren-is-back\/&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;&#8221;] Daily Newsletter South Africa&#8217;s Fiasco in Venice South Africa withdraws from the Venice Biennale, Glenn Ligon and the color blue, and your guide to art in DC this spring. Hyperallergic February 23, 2026\u2014 4 min read &#8220;Read, ponder, and rise up before it\u2019s too late!&#8221; urge artists Coco Fusco and Noah Fischer, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,69],"class_list":["post-1790419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-hyperallergic-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1790419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1790419"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1790419\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1790419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1790419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1790419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}