June 2020 Artworld Updates: Memorials, Protests, Reopenings, and Institutional Shifts

other · 2026-04-20

An open call for a memorial honoring victims of slavery has been initiated by France's Ministry of Culture, with submissions required by 1 September. In the Philippines, over 1,400 artists have rallied behind the 'Artists Fight Back' campaign opposing an anti-terrorism bill. The Sharjah Art Foundation has postponed its March Meeting to 2021 and scheduled the next Sharjah Biennial for March 2022. The Berlin Biennale 11 is set to take place from 5 September to 1 November 2020. Museums in Istanbul will reopen on 16 June, while Paris's Palais de Tokyo will welcome visitors starting 15 June. Manifesta 13 in Marseille revealed its artist lineup, and the Third Line gallery announced the passing of artist Arwa Abouon. Additionally, Amsterdam's Stedelijk Museum has appointed curators-at-large, and London's West End galleries will resume operations by appointment from 15 June. Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art has halted police contracts, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has laid off 55 staff members due to financial shortfalls.

Key facts

France's Ministry of Culture launched an open call for a slavery victims memorial in Tuileries Garden, Paris, with deadline 1 September 2020.
Over 1,400 artists in the Philippines protested an anti-terror bill allowing warrantless arrests and 14-day detentions.
Sharjah Biennial rescheduled to March 2022; Berlin Biennale 11 runs 5 September to 1 November 2020.
Istanbul museums Arter, Istanbul Modern, and Pera Museum reopen 16 June 2020; Paris's Palais de Tokyo opens 15 June.
Manifesta 13 in Marseille announced artist list curated by Katerina Chuchalina, Stefan Kalmár, and Alya Sebti.
Artist Arwa Abouon (1982-2020) died, announced by Dubai's The Third Line.
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam appointed Yvette Mutumba and Adam Szymczyk as curators-at-large for two years.
London West End galleries reopen by appointment from 15 June 2020.

Entities

Artists

André Acquart
Yalda Afsah
Antonin Artaud
Béatrice Pedraza
Ludovic Mohamed Zahed
Andrew Graham
Yassine Balbzioui
Georges Bataille
Roland Barthes
James Benning
Minia Biabiany
Hannah Black
Anna Boghiguian
Mohamed Bourouissa
Benjamin de Burca
Barbara Wagner
Isabelle Carbonell
Hannah Meszaros Martin
T. J. Demos
Marc Camille Chaimowicz
Ali Cherri
Dennis Cooper
Zac Farley
Gisèle Vienne
Julien Creuzet
Pauline Curnier Jardin
Martine Derain
Lukas Duwenhögger
Jana Euler
Ymane Fakhir
Peter Fend
Pierre Guyotat
Samia Henni
Stine Marie Jacobsen
Mathieu Kleyebe Abonnenc
Amy Lien
Enzo Camacho
Calla Henkel
Max Pitegoff
Trinh T. Minh-ha
Tuan Andrew Nguyen
Ken Okiishi
Sara Ouhaddou
Selma Ouissi
Sofiane Ouissi
Philippe Pujol
Arthur Rimbaud
Cameron Rowland
Sara Sadik
Judith Scott
Hélène Smith
Lionel Soukaz
Reena Spaulings
Arseny Zhilyaev
Arwa Abouon
Yvette Mutumba
Adam Szymczyk
Katerina Chuchalina
Stefan Kalmár
Alya Sebti
George Floyd
Bill de Blasio

Institutions

Ministry of Culture
Sharjah Art Foundation
Berlin Biennale
Arter
Istanbul Modern
Pera Museum
Palais de Tokyo
Royal Academy of Arts
Manifesta 13
The Third Line
Concordia University
Stedelijk Museum
Weltkulturen Museum
Contemporary And
documenta 14
White Cube Mason’s Yard
Thomas Dane Gallery
Luxembourg & Dayan
Holtermann Fine Art
Stephen Friedman Gallery
Gagosian
Goodman Gallery
Hauser & Wirth
Annely Juda Fine Art
Pace Gallery
Simon Lee Gallery
Skarstedt
Sprüth Magers
Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac
David Zwirner
Green Papaya
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Teen Creative Agency
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
NYPD
Artists Fight Back
Black Quantum Futurism
Center for Creative Ecologies

Locations

France
Tuileries Garden
Paris
Philippines
Sharjah
Berlin
Istanbul
Turkey
London
United Kingdom
Marseille
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Tripoli
Libya
Canada
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Frankfurt
Germany
Manila
Chicago
United States
New York
San Francisco

Sources

ArtReview