A group of prominent French artists, including Ali Cherri and Lili Reynaud-Dewar, signed an open letter published by Libération calling for a boycott of the Centre Pompidou Hanhwa, the Pompidou's new Seoul satellite museum set to open June 4. The protest targets the museum's partner, the Hanwha Foundation of Culture, due to its parent conglomerate Hanwha Group's business ties with Israeli defense contractors Elbit Systems and Elta Systems, which the artists allege constitutes 'art-washing' of profits from armed conflicts.
The petition demands the Pompidou terminate its partnership with the Hanwha Foundation, arguing that the collaboration morally compromises cultural institutions and normalizes wartime violence. The controversy highlights growing tensions between cultural diplomacy and corporate ethics, as the museum's inauguration was intended to strengthen South Korea-France ties. The protest also echoes similar activism at Space ZeroOne in New York, which receives Hanwha sponsorship, reflecting a broader movement among artists to hold cultural institutions accountable for their funders' political and military associations.