Artists Withdraw From Sydney Biennale In Protest Of Manus Island

Five artists has today announced their withdrawal from a major Australian arts event, expressing great concern over being associated with the management of the Manus Island detention centre.

Last week, 28 of the artists involved in the 19th Biennale of Sydney wrote an open letter to organisers, expressing their issues at being associated with Transfield Holdings – the event's major sponsor – who has been awarded the contract to run the Manus Island detention centre.

After being told that there was not likely to be any change to the sponsorship arrangements, five artists – Libia Castro, Ólafur Ólafsson, Charlie Sofo, Gabrielle de Vietri and Ahmet Öğüt – have elected to withdraw from the

“We have revoked our works, cancelled our public events and relinquished our artists' fees,” the statement reads. “While we have sought ways to address our strong opposition to Australia's mandatory detention policy as participants of the Biennale, we have decided that withdrawal is our most constructive choice. We do not accept the platform that Transfield provides via the Biennale for critique. We see our participation in the Biennale as an active link in a chain of associations that leads to the abuse of human rights. For us, this is undeniable and indefensible.

“Our withdrawal is one action in a multiplicity of others, already enacted and soon to be carried out in and around the Biennale. We do not propose to know the exact ethical, strategic or effective action to end mandatory detention, but we act on conscience and we act with hope.”

The artists have requested that their withdrawal be acknowledged by the Biennale, and explain they have taken this approach to ensure their work does not add value to the brand they are protesting against.

“We withdraw to send a message to the Biennale urging them, again, to act ethically and transparently. To send a message to Transfield that we will not add value to their brand and its inhumane enterprise. Finally, and most importantly, we withdraw to send a message to the Australian Government that we do not accept their unethical policy against asylum seekers."

You can read their full statement here.