Pakistani artist Rabbya Naseer has canceled her solo exhibition at the Belvedere 21 Museum of Contemporary Art, citing censorship as the primary reason. Over seven months, the institution allegedly delayed approval on her work that addressed the Gaza conflict. Naseer expressed her frustration in a video letter to the curators, emphasizing her autonomy as an artist. Despite winning the Belvedere Art Award and preparing extensively for the exhibition, she decided to withdraw after receiving insufficient feedback and approvals from the museum's team.
I am writing to tell you, in the gentlest possible way, that I do not feel obliged to let you tell me what I can or cannot make work about.
You cannot tell me that my work for the exhibition at Belvedere 21 cannot be about this or that geographical region or ethnic group.
Naseer, who is based between Lahore and Vienna, won the Belvedere Art Award last May.
She had already begun hiring technicians and other collaborators.
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