Controversies

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Should the Science Museum stop taking money from oil companies?

Plus, Michael Landy's exhibition at Firstsite and artist Shahzia Sikander on a manuscript miniature

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'It has given legitimacy to transphobia': Students angered by Royal Academy's apology to artist Jess de Wahls

Royal Academy Schools, the London museum's art college, have taken to Instagram to express their dismay

‘One thing is clear to us now, we should have handled this better’—Royal Academy apologises to artist Jess de Wahls over transphobia row

The London museum says that pulling her work from their shop because of her views "betrayed our most important core value—the protection of free speech"

Royal Academy gift shop will not stock work of artist accused of transphobia

London museum posted an Instagram story explaining reasons for withdrawing items by Jess de Wahls

'In solidarity with the Palestinian people', photographers withdraw their works from Prix Pictet show in Israel

Prize-nominated artists Shahidul Alam and Gideon Mendel will not show their works at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv

'Geffrye must fall': Labour MP Diane Abbott leads protests demanding slaver statue be removed from London museum

Former UK shadow home secretary led protests at the Museum of the Home in Hoxton, which reopened to the public at the weekend

Imperialist statue must go: defying college's decision, more than 350 Oxford University academics demand Cecil Rhodes be removed

Oriel College's plan to keep the sculpture of "racist" 19th-century British mining magnate "does not reflect the Oxford we represent", say staff in a letter

Too woke? National Trust chair Tim Parker steps down

Rebel group of members planned to depose heritage chief following row over controversial research into charity’s historic ties to slavery

Christoph Büchel’s controversial migrant boat finally returns to Sicily after 2019 Venice Biennale display

The vessel was on loan from the town of Augusta, which intends to turn it into a memorial for the hundreds of migrants who died on board in 2015

After staunch criticism, Science Museum defends oil company Shell’s sponsorship of its climate exhibition

Director Ian Blatchford says that the Science Museum Group "retains editorial control" over London show

France's planned slavery memorial on hold over debate about naming 200,000 freed slaves

Shortlisted proposals by artists including Adrian Piper, Julien Creuzet and duo Sammy Baloji and Emeka Ogboh did not adequately adhere to the requirements, campaign group says

Vermont Law School can hide a mural that offended students behind a wall, court rules

A 1993 painting of the state’s historic role on the Underground Railroad depicts Black slaves as caricatures, while white abolitionists are idealised

National Trust's report on colonial and slavery history did not breach charity law, regulator says

Research commissioned by the trust provoked complaints from Conservative politicians amid UK culture war around controversial monuments

‘Things have to change’: third speaker pulls out of Science Museum Group climate talk in protest against oil sponsorship

Broadcaster Robin Ince joins George Monbiot and Mark Lynas in withdrawing from the Climate Talks event over the UK institution's funding from oil companies BP and Equinor

Bank of England wades into UK's escalating culture war on controversial monuments, saying it will remove images of slave owners

“Retain and explain” or restrain and refrain? Culture chiefs raise the alarm on government’s policy to keep problematic statues ahead of crucial meeting

Cy Twombly foundation ‘absolutely prepared to take legal action’ after Louvre ‘destroys’ artist’s ceiling painting in renovation works

The US artist's foundation says that it was not consulted over the French museum's changes to the Salle des Bronzes—the Louvre argues it does not have to

Keep problematic monuments and ‘explain them’, UK government to tell cultural leaders

Opponents argue that some public statues reinforce racism, chauvinism, sexism and homophobia

Podcastspodcast

Stonehenge: could a road tunnel ruin the ancient site?

Plus, French museums revolt against lockdown closures and artist Crystal Fischetti on Karla Black

Amid child sexual abuse accusations, Paris authorities turn off Claude Lévêque light sculptures

The French artist is under police investigation over claims that he abused minors under the age of 15

Executed Chinese prisoners likely used in UK exhibition

Cadavers on display in 'Real Bodies' show were provided by Dalian-based firm known to have acquired corpses from police

UK government announces new laws to protect controversial historic monuments from 'woke worthies and baying mobs'

Proposed plans have been criticised as distraction tactics from the state's "lethally failed response to the pandemic and the consequences of a disastrous Brexit"

Kamel Mennour gallery's representation of Claude Lévêque suspended after allegations of abuse of minors

According to French media reports, a police investigation has been launched into violations dating back to the 1970s

Rex Whistler’s Tate Britain restaurant mural is ‘offensive’, ethics committee says, threatening closure

Tate now faces the dilemma of what to do with a room decorated by a major early 20th-century artist

Tate suspends curator for publicly criticising its decision to delay Guston show

Mark Godfrey has been disciplined after posting a long statement on his Instagram account describing postponement as "extremely patronising to viewers"

Madrid's Prado museum accused of misogyny in open letter after misattributing work to female artist

Uninvited Guests exhibition has "been done from a misogynistic point of view and still projects the misogyny of the 19th century,” says one signatory

Podcastspodcast

What does the Philip Guston delay tell us about museums and race?

Plus, Maggi Hambling on making love with paint

Hosted by Ben Luke and Margaret Carrigan. with guest speaker Louisa Buck. Produced by Julia Michalska, David Clack and Aimee Dawson

Philip Guston’s KKK paintings ‘are not asleep—they’re woke’: catalogue contradicts museum statement controversially halting show

Essays from African American artists such as Glenn Ligon and Trenton Doyle Hancock show that issues were being addressed

Critics, scholars—and even museum’s own curator—condemn decision to postpone Philip Guston show over Ku Klux Klan imagery

Move is deemed “cowardly” and “patronising” after joint statement from host museums including National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC and London’s Tate Modern