The Whitney Museum of American Art was the site of a protest last Friday, where a group of activists gathered to voice their concerns about board members with ties to genocide, militarism, and apartheid. The demonstration was in response to the cancellation of a performance about Palestinian mourning at the museum’s Independent Study Program earlier in the month.
Approximately 50 activists, including alumni of the ISP program funded by the Whitney, participated in the protest. The performance titled “No Aesthetic Outside My Freedom: Mourning, Militancy, and Performance” was canceled on May 14 due to objections raised by Museum Director Scott Rothkopf over a previous introduction by artist Fargo Tbakhi, who asked audience members supporting Israel to leave.
During the protest, banners and signs accusing the museum of “artwashing genocide,” “sponsoring war crimes,” and “policing artists” were displayed in the lobby. Mock museum pamphlets were distributed to visitors, identifying specific board members such as Nancy Carrington Crown, Leonard Lauder, and Laurie Tisch, and their connections to Zionist, militarized, and surveillance-oriented entities.
The protesters occupied the lobby for an hour during the weekly Free Fridays program before dispersing peacefully. They chanted outside the museum for another 20 minutes before leaving. This is not the first time the Whitney Museum’s board has been targeted in pro-Palestine protests, with previous actions taking place during the Whitney Biennial and in Manhattan.
The Whitney Museum has faced criticism and protests against its board members in the past. Former Vice Chairman Warren Kanders was forced to resign in 2019 after protests and artist withdrawals due to his company’s involvement in producing tear gas used at the US-Mexico border and Puerto Rico.
The museum did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Hyperallergic. The protest at the Whitney Museum serves as a reminder of the ongoing activism and advocacy for Palestinian rights in the art world.
