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In a major show of solidarity with the Palestinian people, five Indian artists have announced their intention of boycotting a major show of Indian art in Israel. The show titled “Deconstructing India” is scheduled to be mounted at the Tel Aviv State Museum in the spring of 2012.

The boycott by Nalini Malani, Anita Dube, Amar Kanwar, Sakshi Gupta and Pushpamala N. is in line with the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel — PACBI – that was launched in 2004 by a group of Palestinian academics and intellectuals. The campaign is supported internationally by John Berger and more than 90 leading authors, film-makers, musicians and performers.

The Indian chapter was formed in June 2010. Vivan Sundaram, Ayisha Abraham and Pushpamala N. were its signatories along with many leading academics and cultural practitioners. The boycott of the Tel Aviv show has been initiated by Ms. Pushpamala, who is trying to garner support from all the invited artists who are still confused and not ready to take a stand as yet.

The theme of the show is as much a cause for concern for the boycotting artists as the venue. "Some artists feel that we should keep cultural spaces separate from politics. However, the curatorial note of “Deconstructing Israel” is itself political. It speaks of colonization, partition of India and creation of Israel which are all political events"... >>>