Alison Friedman resigns from West Kowloon Cultural District amid M+ censorship tensions

Key facts

• Alison Friedman resigned as artistic director of performing arts at West Kowloon Cultural District after four years.
• Friedman is returning to the US to lead Carolina Performing Arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• Her departure was prompted by a desire to be closer to her parents, according to the South China Morning Post.
• The M+ Museum, newly opened in the district, faces struggles over art and censorship.
• M+ director Suhanya Raffel had insisted there would be 'no problem' exhibiting works by Ai Weiwei or referencing the 1989 Tiananmen protests.
• Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said authorities are on 'full alert' against exhibitions that might 'undermine national security'.
• Lam's comments were in response to lawmaker Eunice Yung's claim that M+ was 'spreading hatred' against China.
• The resignation comes amid the implementation of Hong Kong's National Security Law.