After the censorship of his Mapplethorpe exhibition, the Artistic Director of a Porto museum resigns
After just eight months in the role, João Rivas has resigned as Artistic Director at the Serralves contemporary art museum in Porto. In an open letter published in the Portuguese newspaper Público, João Rivas criticised the censorship of the exhibition "Robert Mapplethorpe: Pictures". Rivas had brought together 179 shots, 20 of which were censored by management, whilst some rooms were closed to minors.
“We live in a time of deep political uncertainty, with the emergence of right-wing populism, ultranationalism, and threats to artistic and academic freedoms. In that context, it is deeply unfortunate that the Serralves Foundation has missed an opportunity to uphold the values that should have sustained it as a home for culture, thought and freedom and chose instead to succumb to moral puritanism and social conservatism.” More information available via TheArtNewspaper.
Siren Eun Young Jung awarded the Korea Artist Prize 2018
Following in the footsteps of Song Sanghee, Mixrice, Inhwan Oh, Noh Suntag, Kong Sung-Hun and Moon Kyungwon & Jeon Joonho, the Seoul-based artist has been selected for their work that "probes queer artistic practices and identity politics through in-depth ethnographic research".
The prize, reserved for emerging Korean artists, had finalists this year including Minja Gu, Jae Ho Jung and Okin Collective, who were brought together in an exhibition held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul.
Siren Eun Young Jung, whose work has been exhibited at the Pompidou Center, Rome's MAXXI and the Nam June Paul Art Center in recent years, will receive a total of $45,000. Read further via ArtAsiaPacific.
SIREN EUN YOUNG JUNG has been named the winner of the 2018 Korea Artist Prize. Courtesy the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul.
