A chorus of prominent artists and museum directors blast the funding of a new Berlin art center as ‘scandalous’:
A Chorus of Prominent Artists and Museum Directors Blast the Funding of a New Berlin Art Center as ‘Scandalous’
At the center of the outrage is the cultural consultant Walter Smerling. The Bonn-based founder has been accused by members of the Berlin artistic community of straddling an unethical line between private foundation and public entity with his Stiftung Kunst und Kultur e V. , as well as having opaque ties to business and political figures.
At the time of the publication of this article, the letter has gained more than 650 signatures. Notable names include Gabriele Horn, the director of the Berlin Biennale; Yilmaz Dziewior, director of the Ludwig Museum; Krist Gruijthuijsen, director of KW Institute for Contemporary Art; and Kader Attia, artist and curator of the Berlin Biennale that opens in June.