Art, Identity and Boycott: Where Is the Line for Cultural Exclusion?

During this year’s Jewish Culture Festival in Copenhagen, Kos & Kaos gathered artists, critics and cultural voices for a powerful and timely conversation on censorship, exclusion, identity politics and artistic freedom in the aftermath of October 7.

The panel brought together Berlin-based Israeli artist Amir Fattal, legendary Danish artist Bjørn Nørgaard, artist and art theorist Augusta Atla, artist and writer Lina Hashim, and moderator Anne Sofie Allarp.

A central moment of the evening was Amir Fattal’s personal testimony about the harassment, vandalism and threats he experienced after his exhibition in Mexico City was attacked with antisemitic graffiti and physical intimidation. From there, the conversation expanded into a broader reflection on the growing climate of boycotts, cancellations and polarization within the international art world.

Together, the participants discussed artistic freedom, identity politics, social media, censorship, institutional responsibility, fear, self-censorship, and the increasingly difficult space for nuance and dialogue in today’s cultural climate.

Rather than offering simple answers, the evening created room for disagreement, complexity and reflection — insisting on the importance of continuing difficult conversations across political and ideological divides.

A heartfelt thank you to all the participants, the audience, and everyone who contributed to making this important evening possible.

The event was organized by Kos & Kaos and the Jewish Culture Festival in Copenhagen.