French Artists Boycott Centre Pompidou Hanwha Over Israel Arms Ties
More than 100 artists, researchers, and art professionals from France have endorsed an open letter advocating for a boycott of the Centre Pompidou Hanwha in Seoul, which is scheduled to open on June 4. This movement, revealed in 2023, is a response to Hanwha Group's connections with Israeli arms manufacturers, stemming from a partnership established in 2021 with defense firms Elbit Systems and Elta Systems. The letter criticizes this collaboration as "art-washing" and denounces the commercialization of culture. Notable signatories include Lili Reynaud-Dewar, the 2021 Marcel Duchamp Prize recipient, and artist-filmmaker Ali Cherri, who lodged a civil complaint in April regarding a 2024 Israeli airstrike. Protests took place on May 19 and at Space ZeroOne in New York, but neither Centre Pompidou nor Hanwha has commented.
Key facts
- More than 100 French artists, researchers, and art professionals signed an open letter.
- The letter calls for a boycott of Centre Pompidou Hanwha in Seoul.
- Centre Pompidou Hanwha is set to inaugurate on June 4.
- Hanwha Group has ties to Israeli weapon manufacturers Elbit Systems and Elta Systems.
- The petition demands an end to the collaboration, citing 'art-washing' and links to 'Palestinian genocide.'
- Signatories include Lili Reynaud-Dewar, Ariella Aïsha Azoulay, and Ali Cherri.
- Ali Cherri filed a civil complaint over a 2024 Israeli airstrike that killed his parents.
- A Chanel runway show was held at Centre Pompidou Hanwha on May 26.
Entities
Artists
- Lili Reynaud-Dewar
- Ariella Aïsha Azoulay
- Ali Cherri
- Michael Joo
Institutions
- Centre Pompidou Hanwha
- Hanwha Foundation of Culture
- Hanwha Group
- Elbit Systems
- Elta Systems
- Israel Defense Forces
- Libération
- Space ZeroOne
- Korean Cultural Alliance for Palestine
Locations
- Seoul
- South Korea
- New York
- United States
- Beirut