Iraqi Artists Withdraw from Berlin Biennale Over Controversial Abu Ghraib Installation
Layth Kareem, Raed Mutar, and Sajad Abbas have opted out of the 12th Berlin Biennale amidst the uproar surrounding Jean-Jacques Lebel's installation 'Poison Soluble' (2013), which showcases U.S. military images of Abu Ghraib detainees. In July, Iraqi curator Rijin Sahakian condemned the biennial for using Iraqi bodies without permission. Despite the relocation of Mutar and Abbas's pieces following her correspondence, they decided to withdraw. The Berlin Biennale issued an apology for the original arrangement and expressed disappointment over the artists' exit, highlighting the importance of dialogue with participants. Kader Attia supported Lebel's inclusion in Artforum, asserting the necessity of confronting recent imperialist offenses. The biennial commenced in June, with Lebel's work remaining on view.
Key facts
- Layth Kareem, Raed Mutar, and Sajad Abbas withdrew from the 12th Berlin Biennale
- Jean-Jacques Lebel's 'Poison Soluble' (2013) contains Abu Ghraib detainee images
- Rijin Sahakian's Artforum letter accused the biennial of commodifying Iraqi bodies
- Works by Mutar and Abbas were moved to another gallery after Sahakian's letter
- The Berlin Biennale apologized for the initial placement of the works
- Curator Kader Attia defended the work in Artforum as addressing imperialist crime
- Lebel's work remains on display with no plans for removal
- The biennial issued a public statement respecting the artists' decision
Entities
Artists
- Layth Kareem
- Raed Mutar
- Sajad Abbas
- Jean-Jacques Lebel
- Kader Attia
Institutions
- Berlin Biennale
- Artforum
Locations
- Berlin
- Germany
- Baghdad
- Iraq
- Abu Ghraib