Laurie Anderson withdraws from professorship due to her pro-Palestine stance
American artist and musician Laurie Anderson has withdrawn from her professorship at Germany’s Folkwang University of the Arts following a probe into her pro-Palestine stance.
The German institution led an enquiry after discovering Anderson had signed an “open letter against apartheid”. The document, written by Palestinian artists in 2021, rallied against Israeli violence against Palestine.
“To frame this as a war between two equal sides is false and misleading,” the letter stated. “Israel is the colonizing power. Palestine is colonized. This is not a conflict: this is apartheid.”
It also states: “We have seen how governments in Europe and beyond recently have instated policies of open censorship, and fostered a culture of self-censorship, towards Palestinian solidarity. Conflating legitimate criticism of the State of Israel and its policies towards Palestinians with antisemitism is cynical. Racism, including antisemitism, and all forms of hate, are heinous and not welcome in the Palestinian struggle. It is time to stand up to these tactics of silencing and overcome them.”
Initially, Anderson was offered the Pina Bausch visiting professorship without issue. Once the university leadership was made aware of her political stance, they allegedly asked if her views had changed since she signed the letter.
In a press release issued by Folkwang University, Anderson stated: “For me, the question is not whether my political views have changed. The real question is, why is this question even being asked?”
University representatives countered by saying: “The university resolutely opposes all forms of anti-Semitism, misanthropy, and racism.” They added the decision, while not made “lightly”, was made in the context of “current discourse about freedom of art and freedom of expression.”
“Against this background,” said Anderson, “I am withdrawing from the project.” She was due to take up the one-year position in April, following Marina Abramović.
