Brandeis University is currently showing, in its Rose Art Museum, an exhibit by a high-profile Middle Eastern artist who presents the Palestinian point of view in his work. This comes at a time of heightened tensions, of course, in the Middle East. We think this academically excellent Massachusetts university of Jewish heritage and tradition is to be warmly commended for demonstrating a true commitment to academic openness by not fearing to risk intellectual controversy. Three of the works by the artist Dor Guez are shown above in our Slider Art feature, where we spotlight artists and their works that one way or another impact on Asia, are about Asia or originate from Asia.
We feature the Dor Guez works in an open salute to Brandeis students, who by and large supported the staging of the controversial exhibit. As one wise Brandeis student put it, “We know we are stronger pro-Israel advocates when we know the whole picture.”
Our definition of progress? In 2006 Brandeis authorities shut down a gallery exhibition of art by Palestinian teens.