The San Francisco Art Institute commissioned this exhibit at their own initiative. The French Embassy had no reason to express any reservations regarding the exhibit’s eventual contents. The SFAI is a leading American museum, one of the most pioneering and active artistic institutions on the West Coast. It is well-regarded by the cultural community in the United States. Mr. Abdessemed, an internationally renowned artist who lives in France, is especially popular in the United States. He was the only France-based artist selected to participate in the Venice Biennale’s Official Pavilion by American curator Robert Storr. He has recently been the subject of a successful solo show at PS1, New York’s leading contemporary art institution.

It is the French Embassy’s policy to encourage artistic exchanges between France and the United States, and to help leading American institutions invite contemporary French artists to America to promote their works. For this particular project, the French Embassy joined several major, well-respected American sponsors, including the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Peter Norton Family Foundation, and the Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund. The French Embassy, the French Consulate in San Francisco and the Cultural Services of the Embassy of France do not participate in the curatorial decisions of American museums, and were not consulted by the San Francisco Art Institute regarding the exhibit’s content.

We regret that the images on display shocked certain members of the public. A disclaimer warning potential visitors of the exhibit’s disturbing and graphic videos was prominently displayed at its entrance.

We supported the San Francisco Art Institute’s decision to hold a public discussion on the exhibition on March 29 and regret its cancellation.

For additional information regarding the exhibit, please contact the San Francisco Art Institute.

San Francisco Art Institute

Public Relations Department

+1 (415) 749 4507

publicrelations@sfai.edu