Art vandalism — the painting of Lord Balfour ✎

We have yet another idiot destroying and ruining art — in the service of their “cause”. 

The portrait that was spray-painted and slashed was of Lord Balfour, the former British Prime Minister. This took place at Trinity College in Cambridge by a “pro-Palestinian protester”. 

Cultural vandalism

We have seen this happen to the poor Van Gogh pieces in the National Gallery, or the ‘Mona Lisa’ in Paris; and I think symptomatic of our times: throwing a temper tantrums and vandalising art in museums.

I must admit: I don’t have any special concern for this particular painting. It seems a conventional portrait. What angers me is the fact that anyone can destroy art, of any type.

This kind of vandalism creates a culture that normalises the targeting art for mere self-indulgence. It’s the self-preening attempt to strike the pose as a “great revolutionary”.

I think the very notion of threatening or attacking art and artists — as a mode of political speech — is cultural poison. This rotten stupidity is becoming a regular thing now. Every maniac — acquiped with what they perceive as a political grievance — feels entitled to use works of art to project their anger. 

Yet, these are vertible cultural artifacts; and we have a duty to preserve them for future generations. Works are held in the public trust. This kind of vandalism isn’t anything new; and I really hate it. It’s such arrogance and ignorance. 

I’ve always wondered how many books and how much art was collected and then burned in the “Bonfire of the Vanities” in Florence. We can only imagine. It’s said that over 90% of all religious art was destroyed during the English Civil War. Years ago, Daesh destroyed parts of a Roman Amphitheater in the ancient city of Palmyra. In all cases, society has robbed its progeny of pieces of our common heritage and history.

These vandalisms impose a cost on the gallery visitors.

Museums now respond with barriers, wires and fences that make loud horrible noises when triggered. There are guards and alarms. When we go into a museum and see a beautiful work of art; we now see it through a pane of glass/perspex. It creates an artificial barrier between the art and the viewer. It’s an extra separation between the art and someone — like myself — trying to admire it. 

It’s a necessary evil that is separating us from really “touching” and “feeling” every artwork. I regularly find myself distracted by the pane of perspex distorting the imagine or reflecting the museum’s often bright lights into the painting. It’s so irritating. And to think earlier generations could just walk into the Louvre and see a Da Vinci without any separation. This is also not confined to the most iconic pieces. This ridiculous levels of security is a huge expense to often threadbare budgets (often consumed by conservation costs). Nowadays, in some cases, the actual real objects are not even shown anymore. A facsimile is presented for the masses. And, we all have to be strip-searched just to get into a museum.

Moreover, with some of the soup-splashing; they invariably damage the centuries-old gold-gilded frames which can often be valuable work of art in themselves. Fashioned from antique wood and plaster, they don’t respond well to moisture and acidity.

Then, we must ask, who cares about Lord Balfour in the painting?

We care about the art. We care about who painted it, why, the technique used by the artist, and how it influenced other artworks. The wealthy have always been commissioning artists to do their portraits for centuries, so they can be immortalised. This is an act of disrespect towards the artist and to the history of art itself. Art is a window into contemporaneous perspectives. 

It is also the arrogance of declaring that my personal modern perspective on history allows me to censor art at my discretion. Except we’ve seen examples in history where the contemporary political environment tarnishes a piece of art because of the values of the period. Then, the political environment evolves and changes; and for that censorship to be looked at unfavorably through a longer historical lens. We shouldn’t destroy pieces of historical art because of our current political environment.

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Update: 12 March 2024 — In today’s Daily Telegraph, there is an interesting letter from the Earl of Balfour which I enjoyed reading:

“Jewish Londoners ‘make plans to flee capital’ amid huge antisemitism wave” ✎

This is the headline from the London’s paper: “Jewish Londoners ‘make plans to flee capital’ amid huge antisemitism wave” (The Standard).

Martin Bentham writes:

Growing numbers of Jewish families are considering fleeing London for abroad because of rising antisemitism in the capital, campaigners warned on Tuesday as they demanded tougher action to combat intimidation and hate.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism said some Jewish residents had already left because of fears for their safety.

But it added that the number of those considering leaving London was increasing daily in response to hostility being displayed towards them.

The campaign group has exposed a series of antisemitic attacks in London amid reports of increasing nervousness among Jewish people about their safety.

Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, said an earlier opinion survey had already shown that about half of Jewish people were considering moving abroad and that the trend was growing because of continuing hostility from sections of the community.

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This is incredibly depressing. 

As a Londoner, I must admit that I feel this article has somewhat overstated the problem — if not a bit misleading. People are not seriously “fleeing” the Capital.

On the other hand, it is very definitely hostile. For example, at university, Jewish people feel that it is not safe to wear Jewish identifiers:

Jewish students are covering kippahs with baseball caps and hiding Star of David necklaces amid soaring reports of anti-Semitism at UK universities. Undergraduates at some of Britain’s leading institutions have told The Telegraph they feel “afraid” and “on edge” on campus. One student described how she put up posters of hostages taken by Hamas in her university town, only to see them ripped off the wall within 45 minutes. The accounts come as reports of anti-Semitic incidents in the 18 days following the Hamas terror attacks hit a record high.

Ms Schwinger, who admitted sometimes hiding her Star of David necklace when she walked past a pro-Palestine protest or rally, said she and others had reported signs held at such demonstrations, including one that read “Intifada until victory”. (The Daily Telegraph)

Pupils at a London Jewish school have been allowed to not wear their school blazer amid hate crime fears (The Independent). They even had to cancel after school clubs so students can go together on the school buses. And, then, there have been instances of public buses refusing to stop for Jewish school children (The Independent). 

People have been reporting antisemitic graffiti, stickers and posters — often by Jewish schools or Jewish graveyards. One of my own local shops actually had “from the river to the sea” written by its entrance. Disgusting. 

Immediately after the Jews were targeted in an evil attack, antisemitic incidents hit record highs. Why? Where is all the disgust and racism and hatred against Russians? People don’t care about russia because it’s not Jewish.

London isn’t Nazi Germany. But, for me, I think we should be mindful of history. The chants didn’t immediately start by saying “murder all the Jews”. but, people having to hide their Jewish identity is how it all begins. We should be very careful.

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Update: article below from earlier in the week:

Hot chocolate with whipped cream for energy to submit an assignment ✎

To get me in the “study mindset”. 😏

Photo: “Next level” at the library ✎

At my library.

Photo: St Paul’s Cathedral in London ✎

After exams, will go & visit it.