Activists gathered outside London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) to show support for the Gaza Biennale and protest the ICA’s alleged sponsorship ties.
ADVERTISEMENTThe streets outside the ICA in London were alive with voices and projections on Tuesday night, as protesters gathered for the first UK event of the Gaza Biennale.
Led by Gaza Biennale - Jinnaah UK (with Jinnaah meaning “pavilion” or “wing”), artworks were projected onto the ICA's walls, making a visible statement about the resilience of Palestinian creativity in spite of Israel's military onslaught.
The Gaza Biennale is a global project that aims to showcase Palestinian art both within the embattled coastal strip and in international galleries. It features artwork from more than 60 Palestinian artists – many of whom continue to create in Gaza under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions.
Tuesday's protest also saw protesters demonstrate against what they call the ICA’s ties to Bloomberg Philanthropies, which, according to the protesters, was funding the New Contemporaries exhibition hosted at the ICA that same evening. According to the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), Bloomberg Philanthropies, led by billionaire Mike Bloomberg, has been “directly implicated in facilitating settlement infrastructure in the West Bank.” These settlements, deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice, have been a focal point for global protests against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
"We respect the right to protest, particularly on issues as urgent as the ongoing conflict. Sadly however, this protest was misguided, given much of the information they relied on regarding the ICA's position was factually untrue," a spokesperson for the ICA said in an email to Euronews Culture.
For those at the demonstration, this event was not just about opposing the ICA’s alleged sponsorship, but about amplifying the voices of Palestinian artists who are determined to share their stories despite overwhelming odds. As part of the Gaza Biennale’s mission, artists have pledged to continue their work as an act of resistance against the Israeli military assault on Gaza, with the belief that "Palestinian art pierces through all besieged spaces."
The Biennale itself is being held both in Gaza and in partner venues worldwide. While artists inside Gaza face immense challenges in getting their works outside the besieged strip, the Biennale has garnered international support, with groups like The White Pube, Cultural Workers Against Genocide, and Workers for a Free Palestine joining the effort.
This protest has followed a growing wave of global calls for accountability. Last year, dozens of filmmakers petitioned the New York Film Festival to cut ties with Bloomberg Philanthropies for its involvement in funding a program that trained officials from more than 40 West Bank settlements.
