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A group of 50 artists and cultural figures has sent a letter to Judy Chicago and Pussy Riot founding member Nadya Tolokonnikova, accusing them of “artwashing” for their collaborative exhibition “What If Women Ruled the World?” scheduled to open September 25 at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. The letter calls for the exhibition’s cancellation, arguing that it is hypocritical to present a feminist show at an Israeli institution while Israel’s military actions in Gaza have killed over 28,000 women and girls since October 2023, according to UN Women. Tolokonnikova has stated she is not involved in decisions about the work’s current venue, while museum director Tania Coen-Uzzielli rejected the idea that canceling exhibitions is a meaningful response to the conflict.

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Letter calls on Judy Chicago and Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolakonnikova to cancel Tel Aviv exhibition

More than 50 artists and cultural figures, many based in Israel, have signed a letter urging American artist Judy Chicago and Pussy Riot co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova to cancel their collaborative exhibition "What if women ruled the world?" at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. The show, which opened last week, features a digital quilt responding to the titular question. The letter, seen by The Art Newspaper, argues that holding the exhibition in Israel makes the artists "complicit" in what the signatories describe as genocide in Gaza, citing a recent UN commission finding. Tolokonnikova stated she is not involved in the ongoing project, while Chicago declined to comment. The museum defended the exhibition as a space for reflection and dialogue, not an endorsement of any political position.

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