Israeli Artist’s Show in Mexico City Closes After Antisemitic Harassment

Art World Israeli Artist’s Show in Mexico City Closes After Antisemitic Harassment Vandals defaced König gallery's Mexico City outpost, where the Berlin-based artist Amir Fattal had a solo show on view. Vandals defaced König gallery's Mexico City outpost, where the Berlin-based artist Amir Fattal had a solo show on view. Jo Lawson-Tancred ShareShare This Article A Mexico City gallery has closed an exhibition by the Berlin-based Israeli artist Amir Fattal after vandals defaced its facade with antisemitic graffiti. The show, “I’m Just Here For The Pool,” on view at König gallery, was shut a week early following escalating harassment that moved from online abuse to in-person protests and vandalism. Images shared by the artist show swastikas and other symbols spray painted across the gallery, underscoring growing concerns over the global rise in anti-Jewish discrimination. Videos posted on social media by Fattal show the outside of the gallery covered in swastikas and stars of David, as well as anarchist symbol and the numbers “666,” commonly associated with the devil. Over the door is carved the phrase “acqui hay terroristas,” or “here there are terrorists” in English. The exhibition, which opened February 3, has been closed a week earlier than planned. The gallery did not respond to a request for comment but Fattal said it had been “incredibly supportive.” Fattal, who has a studio in Mexico City where he habitually spends winters, said that the first six weeks of the show’s run passed without incident. He estimated that an online harassment campaign in response to the show started around 10 days ago. This included “hundreds of hate messages and comments across many of my posts,” he claimed, adding that the accounts appeared to be owned by real people, not bots. The first in-person incident took place during a guided tour of the gallery, when around 15 demonstrators gathered outside and began chanting. Fattal claimed they called him “a murderer” and “a Mossad agent.” The group returned days later, targeting another event. It was on this occasion that they spray painted swastikas and other symbols over the gallery facade while Fattal sheltered inside the gallery. On the first occasion, police were called and Fattal was escorted from the gallery by authorities due to safety concerns. He claimed, however, that on the second occasion the police “left shortly after speaking with the organizers of the protest.” They did not return, “despite repeated requests.” The artist said that the authorities were aware of the damage to the gallery but said he was not aware of any police investigation into the incident. Mexico City police did not respond to a request for comment by publication time. Based on the scale, speed, and escalation from online attacks to physical demonstrations, Fattal said he would describe the attacks as “coordinated.” Though Fattal has lived in Berlin for over two decades, he believed that the backlash was prompted by the discovery that he was born in Tel Aviv. “There is nothing on my social media that highlights this,” he said. “I don’t post political content and my platform is purely focused on my work.” He added that “many Israeli artists are facing similar forms of intimidation, but remain silent out of fear of losing opportunities or of being excluded.”