SIGN THE PETITIONTell Indiana University President Whitten to reinstate Samia Halaby’s retrospective now! Sign the petition here. |
On December 20th 2023, Samia Halaby was informed by Indiana University and its Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art that her US premier retrospective was canceled. The administration has not responded to Halaby’s request for explanation nor to reinstate the show. The exhibition “Samia Halaby: Centers of Energy” was scheduled to open on February 10th 2024, and run until June 9th 2024.
Samia Halaby is a Palestinian-American abstract painter and Indiana University alumna (MFA 1963), Indiana University tenured faculty (1969-72), and the first woman professor at the Yale School of Art (1972-82).
.Join us in demanding that President Pamela Whitten uphold the mission of Indiana University by reinstating Samia Halaby’s retrospective NOW!
To take action, you can:
- Call IU President Whitten’s office
- Email IU President Whitten’s office
- Share this call to action on social media
TAKE ACTION
1. CALL
Call President Whitten’s office using the call script below:
Bloomington Office 812-855-4613
Indianapolis Office 317-274-3571
Chief of Staff Brenda Stopher 812-855-1907
Sample call script: Hi, my name is _____________ , and I am a [student / faculty member/ alumni/ concerned community member]. I am calling to demand that President Whitten uphold the mission of Indiana University by reinstating Samia Halaby’s retrospective immediately! I was deeply disheartened to hear that Indiana University has decided to cancel the retrospective of Palestinian-American abstract painter Samia Halaby. By canceling this show, the University community has been deprived of an important exhibition of contemporary art and first-rate cultural experience. The abrupt and unmerited cancellation of the exhibition without explanation goes against Indiana University's stated mission and values of diversity, academic freedom, and world-class cultural programming. I am disappointed that rather than using this moment to show solidarity with a marginalized artist, Indiana University administration has chosen to silence the 87-year-old Palestinian painter. Our community is not better off for this decision. I expect that the administration will uphold the mission of Indiana University by reinstating the exhibition immediately! |
2. EMAIL
Copy/Paste & Email President Whitten at iupres@iu.edu
Sample email to President Whitten To: iupres@iu.edu Subject Line: Reinstate Samia Halaby Retrospective Now! Dear President Pamela Whitten, I write to demand that you, President Whitten, uphold the mission of Indiana University by reinstating Samia Halaby’s retrospective immediately. As a concerned [student / faculty member/ alumni/ concerned community member] I was deeply disheartened to hear that Indiana University has decided to cancel the retrospective of Palestinian-American abstract painter Samia Halaby. Not only is Halaby an IU MFA alumna and former IU tenured faculty, but she is also featured prominently in the campus’ Eskenazi Museum’s collection. On December 20th 2023, Halaby was informed by the museum's leadership in a two-sentence letter that the exhibition was canceled out of “safety concerns,” despite no evidence of threats to the artwork nor the campus. After privately appealing the decision to IU President Pamela Whitten, Halaby has received no response. We understand the decision rested with President Whitten and we know she has the power to reverse it. This exhibition has been planned by the museum for more than three years. By canceling this show, the University community—including students, faculty, and staff, as well as the wider Bloomington and Indiana region—have been deprived of an important exhibition of contemporary art and first-rate cultural experience. Without this show, there will be no special exhibition for our community to enjoy for more than six months. Furthermore, the abrupt and unmerited cancellation of the exhibition directly contravenes Indiana University's stated mission "to provide broad access to undergraduate and graduate education for students throughout Indiana, the United States, and the world, as well as outstanding academic and cultural programs." It also goes against the stated values of "full diversity" and "a strong commitment to academic freedom" included in the mission statement. In the absence of any response from the administration, it is apparent that the University is canceling the show to distance itself from the cause of Palestinian freedom. For 50 years, Samia has been an outspoken and principled activist for the dignity, freedom, and self-determination of the Palestinian people. Rather than using this moment to show solidarity with a marginalized artist, Indiana University administration has chosen to silence the 87-year-old Palestinian artist. Our community is not better off for this decision. I expect that the administration will uphold the mission of Indiana University by reinstating the exhibition immediately. [signature] |
3. SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Amplify this call to action by sharing it on social media!
On Facebook and/or Instagram:
Sample post: Indiana University President Whitten, reinstate Samia Halaby’s retrospective immediately! @iu.president.whitten @eskenazimuseum @samiahalaby Indiana University has decided to cancel the retrospective of Palestinian-American abstract painter #SamiaHalaby. The abrupt and unmerited cancellation of the exhibition without explanation goes against Indiana University's stated mission and values of diversity, academic freedom, and world-class cultural programming. By canceling this show, the University community has been deprived of an important exhibition of contemporary art and first-rate cultural experience. Rather than using this moment to show solidarity with a marginalized artist, Indiana University administration has chosen to silence the 87-year-old Palestinian painter. The community is not better off for this decision. President Whitten: uphold the mission of Indiana University by reinstating the exhibition immediately! TAKE ACTION: ☎️ CALL President Whitten’s Office: (812)-855-1907 Call Script: bit.ly/Whitten_Reinstate_Halaby 📮EMAIL President Whitten’s Office: bit.ly/Whitten_Reinstate_Halaby |
On Twitter/X:
Sample tweet:
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