Tel Aviv Museum Director Tania Coen-Uzzielli Addresses Cultural Boycotts, Art's Role Amid War

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Tania Coen-Uzzielli, director of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art (TAMA), recently spoke out against cultural boycotts, advocating for dialogue over silence in the art world. Her remarks follow the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis, thousands wounded, and 251 people taken hostage, with 166 returning alive. These events triggered a military campaign that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Coen-Uzzielli described the period after October 7 as a profound shift, impacting both personal and professional realities. Her initial priority was to secure valuable artworks, particularly those on loan from international institutions, from rocket attacks in Tel Aviv. The museum moved pieces, including a Giacometti exhibition that had opened in May 2023 in the newly renovated Eyal Ofer Pavilion, to secure storage. This particular exhibition, sourced from the Fondation Giacometti in Paris and funded by Eyal Ofer, was scheduled to close on October 8.

The director also highlighted the museum's changed role in society during the crisis. After the attacks,“Hostages Square,” a site of protest and civic gathering, emerged directly outside the museum. TAMA responded by opening its doors to the community, developing art therapy programs, and offering spaces for reflection and processing trauma. Coen-Uzzielli noted that the museum became an integral part of this civic response, understanding art as a tool for healing and hope, not just aesthetic experience.

The museum has faced cancellations, including a major exhibition of Marina Abramović's work, which was slated for March 2025 in Tel Aviv. This show had previously opened at the Royal Academy in September 2023 and toured to Amsterdam, Zurich, and Vienna. Abramović ultimately declined to proceed with the Tel Aviv venue. Additionally, four other artists“postponed” their exhibitions, citing a desire to present their work when the situation was calmer, or due to advice from their galleries, with some cancellations attributed to insurance restrictions for works traveling to Tel Aviv. Coen-Uzzielli stated that in some cases, the museum had already invested considerable resources in these exhibitions. For one shared show, the museum paid costs but did not receive the exhibition.

Coen-Uzzielli emphasized her preference for engagement over boycotts, stating:“I would rather engage in conversation than silence, because I believe art has a role in generating dialogue, not silencing or punishing people. I hope the art world will not become a system of mutual punishment. Art cannot resolve political conflicts, but it can preserve our ability to see the human being in front of us. We should be opening doors, not closing them.”

Source: Artnet News

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