Indiana University Cancels Survey for Palestinian Painter Samia Halaby

Indiana University’s Eskenazi Museum of Art has reportedly canceled a career-spanning survey for Samia Halaby, a Palestinian artist known for her abstract paintings.

Halaby, who is currently the subject of a larger retrospective in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates was to see her 35-work show open in February. But, speaking to Hyperallergic, Madison Gordon, a board member of the artist’s foundation, said that Indiana University decided not to open the show as planned because of “safety concerns.”

A representative for Indiana University said in a statement that “academic leaders and campus officials canceled the exhibit due to concerns about guaranteeing the integrity of the exhibit for its duration.”