INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana University Bloomington abruptly canceled a Palestinian-American’s art exhibition that was scheduled to begin next month at a museum in Bloomington.

“Academic leaders and campus officials canceled the exhibit due to concerns about guaranteeing the security of the exhibit for its duration,” a university spokesperson said in a statement emailed to News 8.

Samia Halaby, 87, received her master’s degree in art from IU and was also an art professor at Yale. Her “Centers of Energy” exhibition was to open Feb. 10 and run through June at IU Eskenazi Museum of Art. Her work is described as being pioneering in 20th-century abstract art. She’s also known as one of Palestine’s most acclaimed artists.

Her grand niece Madison Gordon says Halaby is being censured by the university. “My sense is that this is happening because Samia is an outspoken advocate for the Palestinian people, because she believes in their freedom, dignity and self-determination, and she has for the last 50 years.”

The Oct. 7 attack by Hamas terrorists on Israel has sparked debate over Palestinian independence.

Gordon says organizers spent three years preparing for the exhibit. Halaby was told Dec. 20 that the exhibit would be canceled. A letter to IU President Pamela Whitten appealing the decision went unanswered.

“It was a very expensive endeavor. The paintings were already in Indiana. A catalog had already been published, and it’s available for sale now,” Gordon said.

Gordon says IU is afraid that by hosting Salaby’s exhibit, the school would be perceived as condoning antisemitism. “There’s too much of a conflation of criticism of Israel of what is purported to be antisemitism, but criticism of Israel is not antisemitic.”

A petition started by Gordon on Action Network calls on the univeristy president to reinstate the exhibition.