Protesters Target Guggenheim Over Abu Dhabi Work Conditions

The Guggenheim Museum is drawing fire over its planned expansion in Abu Dhabi as part of a larger protest of labor conditions in the United Arab Emirates capital, writes The New York Times.

In the latest of a series of incidents at the New York museum, protesters smuggled artworks by a group called Global Ultra Luxury Faction, or GULF, into an exhibit on Italian futurism Saturday. The organization is calling on Guggenheim officials to ensure fair treatment of workers building the Frank Gehry-designed museum on Saadiyat Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi.

Human-rights groups say foreign migrants recruited to work on major projects in the Emirates are subjected to exploitation and abuse. The issue received widespread attention following reports that laborers working on a New York University campus in Abu Dhabi suffered police raids, beatings, and deportations after going on strike over their treatment.

In a statement, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation called the allegations of worker mistreatment “disturbing” and said it is “working closely with our partners in Abu Dhabi at the highest levels to continue to improve workers welfare practices.”