About “Five Muslim artists from different countries” have been reported calling for the removal of their works, terminating their participation in the 3rd Mediterranean Biennale, in protest to the brutalities of Israel and in solidarity with Palestine. The exhibition, according to the Ynews Network “is scheduled to open in the Sakhnin Valley this week, following pressure from the BDS movement”.
According to the event line up, as updated by Ynews: “Mediterranean Biennale will be held in the Jewish-majority community of Misgav and the Arab-majority cities of Sakhnin, Arraba and Deir Hanna. It will feature the work of 60 artists from 25 countries, including many artists from Arab-majority countries that have no diplomatic relations with the State of Israel, such as Kuwait, Morocco and Algeria.”
The report stated disclosed that: “Ahead of the opening, several artists of Muslim descent submitted a request Saturday to cancel their participation in the exhibition in light of the solidarity with the Palestinian struggle and to reflect their unwillingness to cooperate with an Israeli institution.”
In reacting to this, the curator, Mediterranean Biennale, Belu-Simion Fainaru, said that: “This is a political decision supported by the BDS movement, aimed at creating a boycott against Israel in every possible field, including the field of art, as a reflection of the new anti-Semitism that has been created in France and Europe in recent years. They are trying to spread anti-Semitism in the world while harming, slandering and isolating Israel in the global arena and creating an international boycott against the state.”
As published on Ynews: “The artists include Zineb Sedira (France/Algeria/England), Bouchra Khalili (Morocco/France), Walid Raad (Lebanon/United States), Akram Zaatari (Lebanon) and Yto Barrada (France/Morocco).”
Correspondent: Olayiwola A. Ridwan
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