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Giving up the battle, episode 1 and episode 2


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Episode 1: Government drops case against Steven Kurtz, Critical Art Ensemble artist accused of being a bioterrorist

From artnet, the so-called bioterrorist artist Steven Kurtz, a member of the activist organization Critical Art Ensemble, had his indictment dismissed for insufficient evidence. Government prosecutors did not appeal within the required 30 days so the case is over. Read a very succinct synopsis of the whole messy ugly story here. We’ve been following this human rights story on artblog since 2004. Read posts here, here and here. An exhibition exploring Kurtz’s art project that caused the government to go bananas is on view at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center in Buffalo, N.Y., June 7-July 18.

The end of the case is very good news for the artist and for everyone concerned with the curtailment of rights post 9-11.

Episode 2: Barnes Friends drop their appeal of the Barnes move after Judge Ott dismisses their petition

From the Friends of the Barnes press release June 16:

Friends of the Barnes Foundation elected not to file a Notice of Appeal for the May 15 dismissal of their petition to re-open hearings on the case of the Barnes Foundation.

The press release goes on to say the organization will keep researching legal methods to prevent the move of the Barnes to Philadelphia.

A lawyer for the Barnes Foundation, however, says they are ready for a truce.

“We’d like to move from litigation into the next phase, which would be constructive: constructing a museum, constructing a positive relationship with the neighbors and the government entities in Montgomery County and in Lower Merion,” Phyllis Beck, general counsel for the Barnes Foundation said.