Nairy Baghramian and Jutta Koether Decline Vincent Award Nominations Over Museum Neutrality Concerns

Nairy Baghramian and Jutta Koether have both opted out of their nominations for the Vincent Van Gogh Biennial Award in 2016. Baghramian, an Iranian artist residing in Berlin, withdrew due to the involvement of the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag in a legal matter between collector Bert Kreuk and artist Danh Vō, asserting that the museum acted against the artist instead of remaining neutral. The award committee clarified that the museum maintained neutrality during the court proceedings and addressed inquiries under oath. Koether's withdrawal was attributed to personal reasons, as stated by her gallery Bortolami. The Vincent Award, which honors mid-career artists shaping contemporary European art, was created in 2000 and has been managed by the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag since 2014. Baghramian's forthcoming exhibition at Museo Tamayo was also mentioned. This information was reported by Hyperallergic on January 15, 2016.