Gallery owner Anna Schwartz has defended her decision to sever ties with performance artist Mike Parr after a 36-year relationship, saying the inclusion of the words “Israel” and “Nazi” together in his work on display in her gallery were “a dealbreaker”.
Speaking on ABC’s Radio National on Monday, the Melbourne gallerist described elements of Parr’s exhibition at the Anna Schwartz Gallery, which included a performance piece called Going Home that took place on 2 December, as “hate graffiti”. Schwartz emailed the artist the following day to say she would no longer represent him.
