The Tate Gallery is a museum in London that is famous for its exciting and sometimes newer art. During the pandemic, they purchased a restaurant in the basement from an independent owner, and with it, they inherited a problem.
The restaurant houses a casually racist mural from the 1920s. Since the restaurant and the mural are housed in a historic building, the Mural would be exceptionally difficult to remove, if possible at all. Instead, the museum worked with the artist Keith Piper, a Black artist.
Together they mounted a video with two people talking and discussing the mural. It is a video on 1/2 the screen that shows both a Black and a White person talking about different parts of the mural, how they came about, and why it is offensive.
I think I would love to see it. the pictures make it look very interesting indeed. We will be dog-sitting for 3 weeks in June in England, and I think we will travel down to see it.
I think it is a great way to address the issue without removing art that clashes with modern sensibilities.
Some of the details that are offensive in the mural.
A unique solution to a difficult problem. Perhaps its a coincidence but I think it's interesting that: 1) everyone seated in the top photo is white, and 2) all the women have their backs to the photo.
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