As we had previously reported over 130 artists recently issued a call to action to boycott the new Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum that has just begun construction on Saadiyat Island. Despite the recent intervention by the Guggenheim Foundation and Museum and changes from the Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), the artists backed by the Human Rights Watch are continuing to threaten to withhold their work as well as refusing participation in museum events. Our previous coverage can be found here.
Yesterday the Guggenheim Museum and Foundation Director Richard Armstrong and Deputy Director and Chief Curator Nancy Spector responded to the proposed artist boycott of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum. The letter highlights the changes that have been, the Guggenheim’s own concern with the works rights, the importance of this museum to the region, and notably the inaccurate picture that is being painted by the Human Rights Watch most recent statements.
The full letter issued from Armstrong and Spector following the break.
