More than 40 leading international artists including Mark Bradford, Danh Vo, Damián Ortega and Rirkrit Tiravanija among others, who participated in the Sharjah Biennial 12, have lent support to fellow artists Walid Raad and Ashok Sukumaran after they were banned from travelling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Raad was turned back at Dubai airport on 11 May on his way to the Sharjah March Meeting and Sukumaran's visa was denied. They were told by officials the ban was due to "security". Both are members of Gulf Labor, which campaigns for better conditions for migrant workers building the Gulf satellites of the Guggenheim and Louvre in Abu Dhabi as well as the new national museum, a project that has the British Museum as a consultant and long-term partner. In an open letter Raad, whose work has been collected by the Guggenheim and British Museum, said he hoped that Western institutions working in the UAE would help lift the travel restrictions. Support is expected to grow as curators and more artists express their concern and solidarity.The international committee for Modern and contemporary art museums, Cimam, recently issued a statement of support. A spokeswoman for the Guggenheim says that it has made enquires in the UAE and contacted Raad.
