When the art world descends on Art Basel Miami Beach next week, an unexpected question may preempt the usual chatter at the fair about the artists’ practice and prices, museum acquisitions and future exhibitions.

“For the first time you are starting to hear: What’s your position on the Israel-Palestine situation?” said Ralph DeLuca, a collector and advisor. “People want to know where the artists stand on this issue.”

The war in the Middle East has become a lightning rod in the art world since the barbaric attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas and the human toll after Israel’s fierce retaliation in Gaza. It exposed ethnic and generational rifts and unleashed existential anxieties.

When prominent artists such as Nan Goldin and Barbara Kruger signed a letter in Artforum in support of Palestinians without mentioning Jewish suffering, Jewish art dealers protested, and Jewish collectors removed the artists’ works from their walls. When Artforum’s editor-in-chief was fired, several staffers resigned in dissent. When social media accounts of artists lit up with proclamations of “genocide in Gaza,” they were met with accusations of anti-Semitism.

“In my 15-plus years of collecting art I’ve never seen the art world so divided,” said DeLuca, who is not Jewish. “It’s disheartening. We usually band together as a family in support of an issue like this. There were no people arguing about support of Ukraine and BLM, rallying against the ultra-right, marching for women’s rights. Usually there was a common thread most people agreed on—until October 7.”

A “Kidnapped” poster next to an installation by Lawrence Weiner. Courtesy: Candace Worth.

How did we get here? How did the art world end up in a place where buyers are making decisions about aesthetic matters based on political points of view? There was a time when collectors bought art without ever meeting an artist, let alone inquiring about his or her beliefs.

The change has been a long time coming—a combination of the rise of identity politics, art as a lifestyle, rapid-fire acquisitions, and, of course, social media where artists, curators and collectors telegraph their beliefs for all to see.

The market for living artists has increased dramatically in part because it’s a community, one that the rich from around the world want to buy into. Collectors hang out with artists at art fairs, after-parties, and benefit galas. There’s a feeling of connection and belonging to an art world. The artworks on the walls have come to signal not just wealth and access, but also values. In recent years, the focus has been on inclusion and diversity, with particular emphasis on Black and female artists.

“Historically, Jews have bought very difficult work, dealing with race, gender, and religion,” DeLuca said. “There’s no contemporary art market without the Jewish support.”

But what happens when the artists and their patrons suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of the barricade? What happens when you can’t break bread with those you used to consider your tribe?

Some Jewish patrons feel so betrayed, they are walking away from the artists they’ve long supported. Others are skipping Miami this year.

“How do we approach Art Basel? Who do we buy from? Do we ask ‘the question’?” a Jewish art advisor and collector said this week, asking not to use her name.

She was one of more than a dozen art market participants I interviewed, including dealers, consultants, and collectors, who all acknowledged the rift over the war as a new factor for the trade.

“It’s making me question my work,” the art advisor said. “I thought this was my world.”

A demonstrator holding a Palestinian flag during a recent Strike MoMA protest. Courtesy of Strike MoMA via Twitter.

George Lindemann, president of the Bass Museum board of trustees, said he’s going to start each conversation at the fair next week with a simple question: Is the artist a hater?

“Does the artist espouse hate or violence against anyone or any group?” Lindemann said. “If so, I don’t want anything to do with it.”

“The bottom line is,” said art advisor Candace Worth, “Jewish collectors do not want to look at art on their walls by artists who signed the offensive Artforum letter or who are using their social media platforms to voice anti-Israel and anti-Semitic viewpoints.”

The reason why anti-Israel views are offensive to many Jews (including those who disagree with its government) is because they see them as a proxy for anti-Semitism. Critics often don’t make a distinction between the State of Israel and the Jewish people, who often become targets of violence whenever emotions run high.

Private art dealer Mireille Mosler, the child of Holocaust survivors, moved to New York from Amsterdam in 1992, in part to not have to be always identified as a Jew.

But recently, an art world colleague made a comment about her “Jewfro” hair and introduced her husband as “a Jew from Frankfurt,” Mosler said. “There’s now a free-for-all where people single us out: That’s a Jew,” she said. “We are ‘the other’ again suddenly.”

The change has felt so profoundly disturbing, it’s propelling people into action. In early November, one of Worth’s clients put in storage several works by the artists who had signed the Artforum letter and replaced the empty spaces with large “Kidnapped” posters of the hostages taken by Hamas.

Another advisor is using the prism of the war to finalize the list of emerging artists showcased in a major corporate installation.

Advisors and collectors are eyeing works by artists who signed the Artforum letter for resale through galleries and auction houses.

“I don’t care if I leave money on the table,” said a New York-based collector of emerging art. “A lot of collectors are reevaluating their collections in the light of what’s happening. We’ll see a lot of work sold. Artists are very defensive about it. They go and trash Jews, in general, and Jewish collectors, in particular. It’s not fair. It’s my money.”

The collector draws the line at the artists’ “support for Hamas,” she said. She is planning to go over her inventory methodically early next year and select the works for sale.

Both positions should be respected, according to DeLuca. “Artists should have freedom to post and say whatever they want,” he said. “We are in America.” By the same token, he added, collectors should be free to not buy (and to sell) art if they disagree with the artist’s views.

Frühling im Gebirge/Kinderreigen by Hans Thoma, one of the official painters of the Third Reich. Courtesy: Dr. Oetker.

Not everyone is eager to edit their collections.

“I am not boycotting artists,” Mosler said. “I am not looking for friends when I buy art. I am interested in their art, not their political views.”

Mosler’s stance extends beyond today’s political divisions. Just this week, a client asked her to bid on a painting by early 20th century German artist Hans Thoma (1839-1924), one of the official painters of the Third Reich, whose artworks were acquired for Hitler’s personal collection.

“I am not telling my client he can’t buy that,” said Mosler. “It’s not my role to talk collectors out of the art they enjoy.”

Thoma was the subject of a 2013 retrospective at the Städel Museum in Germany, which was organized by Max Hollein. One of the themes it addressed was: “If the artist was on the wrong side of history, can we still appreciate the art?” Mosler said.

A similar question looms for many today. The impact of these sensitivities on the art market remains to be seen, but the timing isn’t great. The art market contracted this year. Will the selectivity by Jewish collectors further reduce the velocity of transactions at the biggest contemporary art fair in the U.S.? What about individual artist markets? Will the art community be able to come back together? Next week may provide some answers.

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A decade ago, artist duo Lissy Robinson-Cole and Rudi Robinson, known also as Lissy & Rudi, began crocheting playful additions to their neighborhood in Auckland, New Zealand. The pair yarn-bombed local fences and covered their car in fiber, and by 2018, they were thinking even bigger, imagining a full-size wharenui—a traditional Māori communal house—made entirely from brightly-colored yarn. “Straightaway, the vision was very clear,” the artists told a local news outlet. “We didn’t know how we were going to do it, or anything at that stage, but we just had the vision in our minds of this whare.”

The remarkable, glowing “Wharenui Harikoa,” which translates to “House of Joy,” emerged from 5,000 balls of wool that Lizzy & Rudi hand-stitched into vivid poupou panels, a tekoteko gable figure, patterned tukutuku beams, and an elaborate pou tokomanawa, or center post. Wharenui play a significant role in Māori custom as gathering places, usually forming the focal point of a sacred clearing known as a marae, which connects people to their ancestors, or tūpuna. Neon colors, glowing under black light, add an exuberant touch to myriad patterns and textures, creating an immersive, prismatic space in a celebration of Māori culture and heritage.

“Wharenui Harikoa” opens today at Waikato Museum in Hamilton, New Zealand, and will be on view through March 17, 2024. Explore more vibrant work on the artists’ Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article In ‘Wharenui Harikoa,’ Lissy & Rudi Crochet a Māori ‘House of Joy’ From 5,000 Balls of Wool appeared first on Colossal.

In this Student View column, Fenton Krupp ’24 describes how he spent his fall break meeting with St. Olaf alumni working in the communications field in Washington, D.C. — and what it taught him about the power of a liberal arts education.

I am a senior computer science major in a precarious situation: I don’t want to develop software or hardware after I graduate. Instead, I have developed an interest in the art of storytelling. My foray into communications began outside of my classes. I joined the team that connects students to St. Olaf College’s Board of Regents, and I now serve as the student representative to our board. I also work in the college’s Marketing and Communications Office, where I help craft impactful stories for the St. Olaf community.

While these roles expanded my communication skills, I wanted to learn from others who were doing this work elsewhere. This fall I spent a week in Washington, D.C. meeting with St. Olaf alumni in the communications industry, with funding from the Johnson Family Opportunity fund. The Johnson Family Opportunity fund was established in 2014 by former St. Olaf Board of Regents Chair B. Kristine Olson Johnson ’73 and her family, including daughters Berit and Kelsey and husband Robbin. The Johnson family, who themselves benefitted from scholarships to attend college, recognized the importance of studying abroad, off-campus internships, and other high-impact learning opportunities. 

While everyone I met with in D.C. understood the power of storytelling, there’s no such thing as a “typical” communications professional. Some of the alumni I met worked at PR agencies, which help corporations across the world better tell their stories and respond to crises. Others worked in-house for a single company, which let them dig even deeper into that organization’s story and tell it even more compellingly. I’m still trying to learn which of those paths — agency or in-house — appeals to me the most, and speaking to people who have done both types of work was incredibly helpful.

My journey to D.C. helped me understand more about how I can craft stories professionally and underscored the value of the liberal arts — all thanks to the wisdom of our remarkable alumni and the generosity of the Johnson family.

Alum: Karen Hopper ’11
Major: Music and Political Science 
Job title: Senior Director of Performance Marketing 
Workplace: Bully Pulpit Interactive — a data-driven advertising agency that shapes political narratives and helps organizations affect change. Clients range from nonprofits to political candidates to global corporations. 
Favorite spot on the Hill: Christiansen Hall of Music — especially Fosness and the music library

Karen is an Ole through and through: she was in the St. Olaf Choir and sings with The Choral Arts Society of Washington when not busy with work. We spoke about her journey through several different agencies, and she explained her love of the fast-paced yet innovative environments. We share a fascination for solving novel problems creatively, and I especially appreciated her insight into what a career at an agency could look like beyond the first few years. I was also reassured by how her liberal arts background has guided her in every role she has taken on, from her first job right out of college to today as she guides a team of other strategists. 

Alum: Alexander Currey ’19
Major: Psychology and Economics
Job title: Senior Brand Strategist
Workplace: Weber Shandwick — one of the largest public relations agencies in the world, with an international client list to match. His work with H&M helped launch 10 startups that combat fast fashion.
Favorite spot on the Hill: The prairie area of the Natural Lands (especially at sunset)

I got the opportunity to meet with Alexander and a few of his team members at Weber Shandwick, including an intern on his team and a colleague from Weber’s Analytics Department. Speaking with Alexander helped me get an idea of what a global agency might look like. I’d be fascinated to work with national brands like Pop-Tarts and eBay, and it must be so cool to see how your work impacts decisions like commercials and entire marketing campaigns. He spoke about team collaboration and the ability to learn from all sorts of different people working in adjacent roles to you. He also shared advice on finding an affordable apartment in D.C. and what he loved about living in the city.

Alum: Patrick McWilliams ’14
Major: Sociology/Anthropology
Job title: Senior Associate Asset Manager
Workplace: Placemakr — a hospitality startup that offers luxury stays that combine the convenience of hotels with the homeyness of AirBnB.
Favorite spot on the Hill: The Pause in Buntrock Commons

Patrick and I spoke about communications in a slightly different context. Patrick spent over eight years at Marriott and was the primary financial contact for nearly 100 hotels across the United States before shifting to his role at Placemakr. Patrick still works in hospitality — Placemakr combines apartment living, vacation rentals, and hotel stays into one experience. There are interesting parallels between asset management and strategic communications work: both roles involve being able to explain the value of assets and identify opportunities to increase that value. Also, I spent last summer interning in hospitality management, so it was interesting to learn more about what that career might look like 10 years down the line. 

Alum: John Stoltenberg ’66
Major: Philosophy
Job titles: Author, Activist, and Executive Editor
Workplace: DC Theater Arts — the premier source for performing arts news in D.C., including reviews, interviews, current events, and calendars of performances happening in the area.
Favorite spot on the Hill: The Ytterboe Annex, a since-demolished wooden building where John produced satire reviews he’d written and began a Saturday-night improv group called Playmakers

John and I spoke about how communications impacts a wide array of fields, including theater and the arts at large. John wrote and edited for a variety of publications in New York City and D.C. before retiring to the position of executive editor at DC Theater Arts. I appreciated John’s insights into the power of storytelling in shaping public opinion about an event or convincing those in power to use it for the right reasons. I also was struck by John’s clarity about his time at St. Olaf — I’m not sure how much I will remember about the Hill in 2080, but I hope I can still remember the hijinks I pulled with my roommate and the professors who made an impact on my education.

Alum: Kathy Minardi ’67
Major: English, Literature, Education
Job title: Executive Director
Workplace: Whole School Leadership Institute —a nonprofit international institute that transforms school leadership teams through immersive and collaborative training modules 
Favorite spot on the Hill: The Student Center

Kathy and I met in Columbia, Maryland, a planned community between D.C. and Baltimore. Columbia was formed to create a community free of segregation based on race, religion, or economic status, making it the perfect home for the Whole School Leadership Institute. Kathy and I walked around Columbia while she explained her journey as an educator and how she came to found the Whole School Leadership Institute. The Institute offers a transformative leadership training program for school leaders from across the world. Good leaders tend to be good communicators, and I have a particular appreciation for educators. Both of my parents are teachers, and my work with St. Olaf’s Board of Regents has helped me understand how governance structures can help guide educators toward a better institution for all.

After talking to these alumni, I carry with me a newfound appreciation for the liberal arts. It’s one of those clichés that exists for a reason: no matter where you come from or what you study, a liberal arts education opens doors for you. It makes you more adaptable, creative, and open to learning new things. 

As a computer science major, I never imagined myself working in communications. But the beauty of the liberal arts is that I can now see how my computer science work will inform how I tell stories, whether that’s understanding how generative AI works or being able to leverage technology to be more efficient in my workday. While I’m leaning toward pursuing agency work after graduation, I know that my time at St. Olaf has prepared me to merge my interests so that I can succeed anywhere, and that’s something I’m really stoked about.

So if you’re a student like me, don’t hesitate to explore beyond your major, engage with alumni, and make the most of opportunities like the Johnson Family Opportunity Fund. Whether you’re studying computer science, music, psychology, or something I’ve never even heard of, take a moment to connect with others in your fields of interest and learn from their journeys.