COVID-19:Vietnamese curator dropped from art fair,organizers cite buyers may be 'hesitant'

Amid concerns about prejudice related to the coronavirus, which was first detected in December in China, another incident of a Vietnameses art curator asked to withdraw from an art fair is creating much stir. According to reports, a Vietnamese art curator was asked to withdraw from an Art fair in the United Kingdom on the preconception that she would be seen as carrying the virus and her presence on the stand would create hesitation among buyers. 

Read: Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft Advise Employees To Work From Home

As per reports, the Vietnamese curator posted a screenshot of an email she received from Raquelle Azran, a dealer and curator specialising in contemporary Vietnamese fine art. The email she received from Azran stated that her assistance at the fair next week has been cancelled as it may create hesitation on the part of the audience to enter the exhibit space. The Vietnamese curator has termed the incident as 'non-violent racism'.

Read: China Thanks PM Modi For His Condolence Letter On Coronavirus Outbreak

As per reports, the organisers of the art fair that is supposed to take place in Battersea, south-west London, said that the email was not sent by them and that they did not support its content. The Affordable Art Fair (AFF), where the event will take place said that they had spoken to Azran's gallery and that they would no longer be exhibiting at the fair next week. The AFF further added that they did not instruct any art gallery to take such actions. 

Read: 'No Inappropriate Ads': Twitter Takes Steps To Prevent Misinformation On Coronavirus

Media reports suggested that Azran later apologised for any offence caused by the email and said that it reflected poor judgement on her part to cancel the Vietnamese curator joining her stand as an assistant, Azran also confirmed that she would not be exhibiting at the art fair next week. 

Read: UK Lawmakers Fear 100-year Old Parliamentary Palace 'ill-equipped' To Deal With COVID-19

Coronavirus discrimination

The coronavirus outbreak has stoked a wave of anti-Asian sentiment across the globe as just recently a South Korean citizen was punched in the face in the Netherlands by an unknown man who thought he was a Chinese. In France, many Chinese citizens reported cases of ethnic discrimination that they faced while travelling in public transport and elsewhere. 

The new coronavirus that is believed to have originated in a local seafood market in Wuhan has claimed more than 3,300 lives across the globe and has infected more than 97,000 people.

Image Credit: AP