The Modern Museum lends works to Qatar

The Modern Museum lends two works by the French artist Marcel Duchamp to Al Riwaq, which is part of the state-owned Qatar Museums. It was at the beginning of the summer that the authority Moderna museet received a request to lend the works from its collection, and they will be part of an exhibition about Duchamp's artistry. The formal decision to support the exhibition was made on 27 August. The works on loan are "L.H.O.O.Q", a painting in which Mona Lisa is depicted with a moustache, and "The Bride Stripped of Her Bachelors", which is one of Duchamp's most famous works.

Earlier this year, the Modern Museum's then director Gitte Ørskou was criticized for having gone on an invitational trip to Qatar where she was supposed to visit art institutions. In an email to DN, Gitte Ørskou stated after the trip "that it would have been more effective if the museum itself had covered the costs".

The Modern Museum has had a new director and superintendent since September 1 this year, when Tone Hansen took over, but at the time of the loan decision, Gitte Ørskou was still director.

Fredrik Liew is head of the department for exhibitions and collections at the Modern Museum. He says that Gitte Ørskou was not involved in the preparation of this case at all.

- She was on vacation at the time of processing the loan request, and had delegated the decision-making authority for this matter further. This matter is also rooted in the new manager, Tone Hansen. In that way, I think we create a purposeful distance to the event you refer to, says Fredrik Liew.

However, Gitte Ørskou was still manager at the time of the decision. Do you see any problem with that?

- She has not left any conditions, not comments to me or any of the other superintendents that we have been influenced by in our assessment. We assessed it as in all loan cases - on objective and professional grounds.

The upcoming exhibition of Marcel Duchamp's works in Qatar is also supported by major art actors such as Moma in New York, the Center Pompidou in Paris and the Marcel Duchamp Foundation.

Qatar is not a democratic country and culture in particular has often been highlighted as a way for the country to exercise soft power. Did you have any doubts about lending works there?

- Qatar is a country with which the Swedish state has good diplomatic relations. The Swedish state conducts an active trade exchange with Qatar and does not believe that boycotts or blockades would be a way to improve the current situation. We do not make a different assessment there, says Fredrik Liew.

He also points out that the Modern Museum's loan policy includes supporting exhibitions that introduce artistry to a new audience, and that this is the first time that a major Marcel Duchamp exhibition has been organized in the Arab world.

- Then we think it is justified to join and support it and not block the initiative. Marcel Duchamp was also a clear advocate of freedom of expression and radical, open thinking.