More than 100 prominent French artists have signed an open letter demanding the termination of the partnership between the Centre Pompidou and South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group, which was set to open the new “Centre Pompidou Hanwha” museum in Seoul. The protest stems from Hanwha Group’s ties to the Israel Defense Forces through its affiliate Hanwha Systems, which signed deals with Israeli defense firms Elbit Systems and Elta Systems. The artists accuse the partnership of being an “art-washing” operation that masks profits from armed conflicts linked to the Palestinian genocide, and they criticize the commodification of culture through corporate alliances.
This protest matters because it highlights growing tensions between cultural institutions and corporate sponsors with controversial geopolitical ties, particularly in the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict. The Centre Pompidou’s expansion into Seoul through a partnership with an arms-linked conglomerate raises ethical questions about museum branding, international cultural diplomacy, and the role of art in legitimizing military commerce. The involvement of high-profile artists like Ali Cherri and Lili Reynaud-Dewar signals significant dissent within the French art world, potentially influencing future institutional policies on corporate partnerships.