It concerns artists who refrain from working with the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art “as long as the museum receives support from organizations on whose board there is representation from the Zabludowicz Art Trust”. The actor is embodied in Chaim “Pogo” ZabludowiczMember of the Board of Directors of the Kiasma Support Foundation.
The justification, according to the letter, is that Zabludovich “finances organizations that support the apartheid policy that Israel directs against Palestine and the Palestinians.”
The Finnish artists’ work is part of an international campaign that began in 2014.
The Zabludowicz family is an important entrepreneurial family. Poju Zabludowicz’s father Shlomo Zabludovich He survived Auschwitz and came to Finland via Sweden. Then he built his fortune on arms deals with Israel.
Poju Zabludowicz is sometimes called the richest man in Finland and has large properties and operations abroad as well. He now lives in Great Britain.
Poju Zabludowicz and his wife Anita Zabludovich They are also patrons of the arts. They donated works to Kiasma in particular and also built an artist’s residence at Sarvsalö in Lovisa.
“loss of credibility”
In a longer open letter, the artists explain Terek Hapoga And the Aero follows Facory An investigation published by Amnesty International at the beginning of the year shows that Israel meets the criteria of an apartheid regime.
They believe that Kiasma cannot turn a blind eye to Zabludovich’s ties to Israel and believe he should resign from the board. Otherwise, Kiasma loses its credibility, they write.
They also point to the fact that Zabludowicz founded a communications agency that denies the country’s alleged apartheid policy and that he invested in Palantir Technologies, which will be used by the Israeli security services.
Kiasma replies
Kiasma, which is affiliated with the National Gallery, responds in a rebuttal that the support foundation is an autonomous and independent actor, and that Kiasma does not have the power to decide on the composition of the board of directors.
“As a Finnish state-run actor, the National Gallery and its Museum cannot engage in boycotts against individual citizens.”
Kiasma continues that the museum is happy to continue collaborating with the artists.
The artist’s residency in Sarvsalö was opened ten years ago. Media interest was great. Archive the photo.
Zabludowicz: A personal leap
In the answer, he wrote that he supports a two-state solution “that guarantees the right of Palestinians and Israelis to live and work in peace side by side.”
He went on to say that he did not understand how this would affect his suitability as a board member of the Support Foundation.
Zabludowicz further wrote to Yle that he believed the boycott was hurting prospects for peace and making dialogue more difficult.
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