Athier, Clasp and Come Apart (2018). Courtesy of the artist.
But others, including the Met and the Brooklyn Museum—institutions whose projects are all linked to Saudi funding—are so far reaffirming their commitment to the initiative. The Asia Society also said that it is moving forward with an event planned for tonight, October 16, a cultural forum about the role of the arts in sustainability.
“This is a serious and troubling story that continues to unfold in a complex global context,” a spokeswoman for the Guggenheim told artnet News in an email. “Our participation in the Edge of Arabia initiative is consistent with our mission to provide a platform for artists and opportunities for much needed cross-cultural dialogue. We do not disengage with artists based on the actions or policies of their respective governments.”
The outcry over missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi—and the role the government is suspected to have played in his disappearance—is having a catastrophic effect on the country’s international relations and shining a light on Saudi funding abroad, including in the art world. Following JP Morgan CEO James Dimon’s withdrawal from the upcoming Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh next week, Sotheby’s confirmed yesterday that its CEO, Tad Smith, has also dropped out of the event.
The diplomatic crisis also coincides with the launch of the first-ever Arab Art & Education Initiative, a year-long cultural exchange in New York, that connects Arab culture with audiences across the five boroughs of New York. The initiative, which kicked off this past weekend, includes exhibitions, artist dialogues, and educational programs at institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and Columbia University.
The news has raised questions about the arts initiative’s ties to the Saudi government. The Middle East Art Institute, a think tank based in Washington, DC, withdrew from the program “in light of recent developments,” a spokesman for the institute told the New York Times. He did not elaborate on the decision further, but told artnet News that the institute had planned to be a partner for the first phase of the initiative in New York, helping with logistics and content development, particularly for one of the events at Asia Society.