"The art world cannot claim to champion freedom while ignoring the people who are denied it. Nasser Mohamed, the only publicly queer Qatari citizen, strikes at the heart of a fundamental ethical contradiction in our field today, writing about the dissonance of fleeing a country because it criminalizes queerness while watching artists, dealers, and collectors flock to its capital."
"I fled Qatar to live freely as a queer person. A country that criminalizes LGBTQ+ existence should not be celebrated as a global hub of creative freedom. This statement encapsulates the contradiction between the art world's professed values and its participation in events held in nations with severe human rights violations."
The art world faces ethical contradictions in its operations and values. Nasser Mohamed, Qatar's only publicly queer citizen, highlights how the art community claims to champion freedom while ignoring persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals. Art Basel Qatar exemplifies this dissonance, attracting artists, dealers, and collectors to a country that criminalizes queerness. Meanwhile, other cultural issues persist globally: protests emerge against Russia's Venice Biennale participation, US-Israel airstrikes damage Iranian cultural heritage sites, and artists continue using their work as political tools. The art community must reconcile its stated commitment to freedom with its complicity in supporting oppressive regimes.
Read at Hyperallergic
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]