Art & Terror Times, Weekly newsletter 7-14 June

"Welcome to the 'Art & Terror Weekly Newsletter,' your comprehensive review of the week's events at the intersection of arts and politics.

This week saw notable acts of vandalism on both sides of the Atlantic making headlines. In London, animal rights activists targeted Jonathan Yeo's controversial portrait of King Charles III at the Philip Mould Gallery, affixing Wallace and Gromit stickers in protest against alleged animal cruelty linked to RSPCA farms. This sparked a debate over the monarch's associations with the group.(The TelegraphHyperallergicCNN)


Meanwhile, in New York, the home of Brooklyn Museum director Anne Pasternak was vandalized with red paint, accusing her and the museum of being "white supremacist Zionists" and funding genocide. This act, condemned as anti-Semitic and criminal, prompted a New York police investigation and widespread public denunciation (ArtNewsTAN), and some justifications as a response to perceived institutional wrongs ()

The ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict continues to profoundly impact the arts globally.

In the United States, the ill-named shows, "Connections" in San Francisco (NYT), and "Confronting Hate Together" in Washington (South Seattle Emerald), showed all but a propension to connect and confront anything together.

San Francisco’s Contemporary Jewish Museum opened its exhibition with blank spaces on the walls after seven artists withdrew their works because of the museum's refusal to give in to their demands to “disconnect” from Israel, whereas Washington's Wing Luke Museum experienced a staff walkout over a text panel that they felt equated anti-Zionism with antisemitism. The show, "Confronting Hate Together" developed with community groups including the Black Heritage Society of Washington State and the Washington State Jewish Historical Society, aimed to spotlight activism against discrimination.

And in yet another interesting twist of events, Columbia University students in New York, demanded the return of confiscated protest banners from their illegal occupation of a campus building. The university agreed to return the banners but is now facing demands from students for exhibition and storage space to continue their archival work and prevent future confiscations of their art.(Hyperallergic)

Across the Atlantic, Goldsmiths University's Centre for Contemporary Art in London, a prominent art school, will remain closed until October following a pro-Palestine student occupation. The closure ensued after demands for the university to sever all ties with Israel, citing safety and insurance concerns for artwork during the occupation. (ArtNews)

In Israel, the Mishkan Museum in the north is trying to foster peace and dialogue. Avi Lubin, the museum's chief curator and curator of the Israeli pavilion at the 2019 Venice Biennale, is showcasing previously unseen works by Israeli artist Dov Heller, a Marxist advocate for peace with Palestinians. The new exhibition "Kibbutz Sometimes", will feature pieces such as his poignant1968 print "Remaining Words”. The exhibition aims to raise critical questions about the future of Israel in the context of ongoing conflict, encouraging visitors to consider paths to peace within the complexity of life in the kibbutzim along along the Israel-Gaza border, as well as express solidarity, promote healing and extend a hand. (Artnews)

British "hate" artist Hamja Ahsan is facing criminal investigation in Germany for his 2022 social media posts insulting German politicians. Ahsan, known for his Tate Modern and Tate Liverpool projects, called Chancellor Olaf Scholz a "neo-liberal fascist pig" and labelled another politician a "neoliberal Apartheid regime lackey". Ahsan's case intersects with German BDS laws and UK freedom of speech debates. The Artists' Union England supports him, denouncing what they call an “Islamophobic campaign against critics of Israeli actions”. (TAN)

In Germany, the revered "culture of remembrance" faces controversy as calls grow to integrate colonial and migration histories. Initiated by Olaf Scholz's government in 2021, reforms proposed by Claudia Roth's office aimed to expand remembrance beyond National Socialism to include colonialism and immigration. However, these plans have encountered staunch opposition. Holocaust memorial leaders fear a dilution of focus on Nazi crimes, while advocates argue that broadening remembrance is crucial to engaging younger Germans and addressing ongoing racism and anti-Semitism rooted in historical legacies. (Qantara)

A lawsuit over an allegedly Nazi-looted Van Gogh painting has been dismissed in an Illinois court due to jurisdictional issues involving Japanese company Sompo Holdings, which purchased "Sunflowers" for $39.9 million in 1987. (ArtNews)

Amid criticism, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will revisit its exhibition on Hollywood’s Jewish founders after charges of antisemitism. Jewish activists and Hollywood workers denounced the exhibition for portraying Jewish figures negatively, alleging it vilifies them while overlooking broader historical context and perpetuating antisemitic tropes. (TAN)

In sad news, the Museum of Faith and Dialogue on Italy's Lampedusa Island has closed after seven years due to its inability to afford the new €10,000 annual rent. Housed within the Pelagie Archaeological Museum, it exhibited artifacts from Mediterranean shipwrecks and hosted 75,000 visitors. Critics argue that the imposition of rent was not politically motivated amid Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's crackdown on migrant arrivals, despite the island's poignant role in migrant tragedies, with over 30,000 deaths in seven years. (TAN & InfoMigrant)

In an essay, L.S. Stratton revisits the role of white women during the Harlem Renaissance, highlighting their impact on Black artists. Women patrons such as Mason and Meyer played pivotal roles in shaping the movement, despite their patronage often being tainted by racial stereotypes and personal idiosyncrasies. Unlike their more recognized male counterparts like Van Vechten, these women's contributions have been largely overlooked. Meyer used Harlem as a platform for activism, challenging societal norms with provocative works like "Black Souls." Their involvement, though complex and sometimes controversial, left a lasting imprint on Harlem's cultural and social landscape. (LitHub)

And whilst on feminine issues, a giant lavender inflatable IUD has been installed in Washington, DC, to highlight the stalled Right to Contraception Act in Congress. Erected by Americans for Contraception, the display aims to raise awareness about threatened contraceptive access nationwide. The campaign plans to bring the symbolic IUD to states facing heightened challenges in birth control availability. (Hyperallergic)

The world mourns the loss of two artists to conflicts this week: Chaim Peri and Artur Snitkus.

Chaim Peri, a renowned Israeli multidisciplinary artist and founder of The White House gallery, tragically passed away at 79 while in Hamas captivity. He was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Peri was also known for his humanitarian work with The Road to Recovery, facilitating Palestinian access to medical care in Israel.

Artur Snitkus, a 36-year-old Ukrainian artist, musician, and stylist, fell victim to Russian military operations near Donetsk. Celebrated as an icon of the Ukrainian queer underground, Snitkus was honored with a vibrant funeral in his hometown of Ternopil, attended by friends and several priests. The ceremony included fireworks, reflecting his dynamic spirit and unique personality.

And Last but not least, Can Art save the World? Find out here ...

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