Cultural Rifts

Due to US military aid to Israel, artists are withdrawing their works from the National Gallery of Art and the National Book Awards. The war between Israel and Hamas has sparked protests, with many organizations accused of suppressing critical expression. The conflict has raised questions about the power and limitations of art institutions, including whether museums should remain neutral or take an active role in responding to political and social issues. The idea of art galleries as separate spaces is outdated, as the interests of cultural institutions are not always aligned with those of artists. The conflict forces those responsible to address these existential questions.

Robert Mapplethorpe (right) with Patti Smith (left) (Elle Magazine, 2020)

The Ways in which Museums are Adapting to Wider Cultural Shifts

Museums face many challenges in the face of societal change, including the expectation to reflect the diversity of the community and remain relevant in a world with more media and cultural competition. Balancing the need to be current and engage with communities without alienating certain members of the population is a challenge, as cultural institutions risk losing funders and non-profit status if they make the wrong move. Museums also need to weigh when and how to show controversial works, as the wrong move can reflect badly on an institution and provoke public reaction. Examples include the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C., which canceled an exhibition of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe for fear of anti-gay legislation, and the decision to postpone a retrospective of Jewish painter Philip Guston because some of his paintings featured cartoonish, unglamorous depictions of white-hooded Klansmen.

The Reasons Behind the Wartime Protests by Writers and Artists

Museums are facing backlash for canceling events and not exhibiting artworks for fear of unwanted attention during the war between Israel and Hamas. El Museo del Barrio in Manhattan was criticized for not showing a work with the Palestinian flag, while the Frick Pittsburgh postponed a planned exhibition of Islamic art. This uproar is not unique to the United States, as debates over Israel and Palestine are causing major divisions in other countries too. In Germany, a committee to select the next Documenta director resigned because one member supported the BDS movement (The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement works to end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law). The Lisson Gallery in London withdrew an exhibition of new works by Ai Weiwei because of comments he had made about the Jewish community on social media. Laura Raicovich, author of “Culture Strike: Arts and Museums in an Age of Protest,” argues that “museums have never been purely neutral spaces, but rather reflect the cultural values, norms, and power structures of a society.” Similar debates are also taking place in the literary world. The Poetry Foundation has rejected the attempt to silence a writer for political reasons, citing “misinformation.” This boycott has led to the current boycott and aims to distract from news and resources about the crisis. Jewish cultural institutions like 92NY are struggling to maintain operations due to the conflict. The organization postponed an event with Pulitzer Prize-winning Vietnamese-American author Viet Thanh Nguyen because of his public statements about the crisis.

On the right Laura Raicovich, and on the left the cover of her book “Culture Strike: Art and Museums in an Age of Protest”. BmoreArt, 2021.

There Are Open Letters of Protest Everywhere, but They Come with a Price

A group of more than 1,800 Jewish writers have published an open letter to the Poetry Foundation distancing themselves from the notion that criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic per se. “Writers Against the War on Gaza” have published a statement of solidarity with the Palestinian people and against the suppression of dissent and racist media cycles. In October, a group of Israeli writers and academics wrote a letter denouncing the Democrats for failing to adequately condemn Hamas’ violence against Israeli civilians. This has led to prominent figures resigning or being dismissed due to their association. It’s unclear how the literary and artistic communities will develop in the wake of these significant splits. So many writers and artists have voiced their opinions clearly. It’s possible that the leadership of the cultural institutions they belong to, which must consider a separate set of issues, isn’t ready or able to address them at this time. As Mary Elizabeth Williams, a former museum employee who has published essays discussing the proper way for museums to handle protest art and political activism, puts it, “It would be great if museums didn’t have to think about donors, or funding, or their status. But that’s just the reality we live in.”