Art Criticism by Media Proxy

Abstract: New Zealand’s participation in the 2005 Venice Biennale was met with a firestorm of mediatised criticism to a large extent fueled by an interview broadcast nation-wide on the prime-time current affairs show, Holmes, conducted by the popular media personality and host, Paul Holmes. Ostensibly, this live studio discussion held with John Gow, an Auckland art dealer, and Peter Biggs, Chair of the government-funded arts development agency Creative New Zealand, was an opportunity for the guests to defend the controversial selection of the artist collective et al. as New Zealand’s rep-resentative to the Venice Biennale. Instead, the programme became a remarkable media event featuring a performance of disdain as Holmes, speaking on behalf of “mainstream ” New Zealand, sneered, rolled his eyes, interrupted and mocked his guests and the artists ’ work. Subsequent media debates concerning contemporary art, arts funding policies and New Zealand’s participation in future Venice Biennales have centred on many of the issues raised by Holmes in his guise a