Sharjah Fires Art Director for Algerian Rape Depiction ‘Offense’

The ruler of United Arab Emirates sheikhdom Sharjah fired the director of the Sharjah Biennial exhibition after work by an Algerian artist was deemed offensive.

"In response to a public outcry expressing offense regarding the content of Mustafa Benfodil’s work exhibited in the Sharjah Biennial, Jack Persekian’s position as director of the Sharjah Art Foundation is no longer tenable," the foundation said in an e-mailed statement received today. "The work has been removed from the exhibition because leaving it on view was too risky from a legal and cultural standpoint."