Vandalism at Kunstverein Hamburg Targets Palestinian Reference in Phoebe Collings-James’s Installation

The Kunstverein Hamburg, a leading contemporary art museum in Germany, recently reported an act of vandalism against an installation by London-born artist Phoebe Collings-James. The work, titled “red earth, blood earth, blood brother earth [kick dirt]” (2024), was created for the exhibition “In and Out of Place. Land after Information 1992–2024” and incorporates references to Palestine, Haiti, Sudan, and Congo.

Allegedly a visitor deliberately targeted the portion of the installation referencing Palestine. The museum has labeled the act as “politically motivated” and is cooperating with German authorities, who are investigating it as a potential hate crime. Further details about the extent of the damage or repair efforts have not yet been disclosed.