Tim Walsh applauds the Biennale of Sydney’s rejection of Transfield Holdings’ sponsorship, but questions its significance.
This piece was to originally begin with a comment on the nature of the ‘two week news cycle’, how easily we forget outrage, and the fact that nothing today seems to change through protest. Then, Luca Belgiorno-Nettis, Executive Director of Transfield Holdings, offered his resignation as chairman of the Biennale of Sydney – after four decades of his family’s support of the event.
Transfield Holdings, parent company of the major infrastructure and maintenance corporation Transfield Services, rescinded their funding of the Biennale amidst public and media criticism of their subsidiary’s contract with the Australian Government. Transfield Services are contracted for AUD $1.2 billion to provide and administer the offshore detention facilities on Nauru, and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.
Before this development, commentary and op-eds had proliferated in the media. A boycott, precipitated by online commentary from Sydney-based academic Matthew Kiem, and implemented by participating artists including Bianca Hester, Charlie Sofo, Nathan Gray and Gabrielle de Vietri, gained some traction and media attention... Keep reading on Apollo Magazine
This piece was to originally begin with a comment on the nature of the ‘two week news cycle’, how easily we forget outrage, and the fact that nothing today seems to change through protest. Then, Luca Belgiorno-Nettis, Executive Director of Transfield Holdings, offered his resignation as chairman of the Biennale of Sydney – after four decades of his family’s support of the event.
Transfield Holdings, parent company of the major infrastructure and maintenance corporation Transfield Services, rescinded their funding of the Biennale amidst public and media criticism of their subsidiary’s contract with the Australian Government. Transfield Services are contracted for AUD $1.2 billion to provide and administer the offshore detention facilities on Nauru, and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.
Before this development, commentary and op-eds had proliferated in the media. A boycott, precipitated by online commentary from Sydney-based academic Matthew Kiem, and implemented by participating artists including Bianca Hester, Charlie Sofo, Nathan Gray and Gabrielle de Vietri, gained some traction and media attention... Keep reading on Apollo Magazine