Phoebe Collings-James installation vandalized in Hamburg with 'Palestine' scratched out

A ceramic floor installation by British artist Phoebe Collings-James was deliberately defaced at Kunstverein Hamburg, with the word 'Palestine' scratched out while other elements remained untouched. The work, titled 'red earth, blood earth, blood brother earth [kick dirt]' (2024), was created for the exhibition 'In and Out of Place. Land after Information 1992–2024' and features patterns, drawings, and a list of four conflict-affected states: Congo, Palestine, Sudan, and Haiti. The vandalism occurred at the Hamburg institution, which reported the incident to authorities as a politically motivated hate crime. Kunstverein Hamburg publicly condemned the act on social media, stating an unknown visitor targeted the section containing Palestine's name. This incident follows a pattern in Germany since October 2023, where artistic expressions supporting Palestine have faced cancellations and backlash. In November, James Bridle lost a German architecture award over support for the Israeli cultural boycott, and in 2023, Saarlandmuseum in Saarbrücken canceled Candice Breitz's exhibition due to her pro-Palestine stance. The installation covers the gallery floor with ceramic slip and includes black-glazed ceramic rose casts placed nearby. Art News first reported the vandalism details, noting the other three countries were left intact.