Craft Alliance, an arts center in St. Louis that promotes contemporary craft, apologized for and removed an exhibit that it said “contained antisemitic imagery and slogans calling for violence and the destruction of the Jewish State of Israel.”
“Despite repeated requests, the artists did not share the artwork and titles with organization leadership prior to the exhibit,” the center stated late last month. It added that the artists, whom it didn’t name, in its artists-in-residence exhibit “Planting seeds, sprouting hope” violated the center’s “policies on anti-bullying, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.”
“We are heartbroken for any pain this might have caused our visitors, members, staff, and volunteers,” stated Jackie Levin, the center’s board chair. “We are putting safeguards in place to prevent this type of policy violation from happening in the future.”
Dani Collette, one of the artists, told St. Louis Public Radio that the center’s decision was “incredibly disrespectful.”
