Art galleries and political correctness: The recent controversies over curated exhibits

A new exhibition of a classic painter is dividing the art world

John Constable’s ‘The Hay Wain’ (Jim Dyson/Getty Images )

The National Gallery will display John Constable’s famous painting ‘The Hay Wain’ as a “contested landscape” at an upcoming exhibition.

The 1821 painting is a British classic, depicting a rural landscape near Constable’s native Suffolk. The idyllic scene shows a cart and horse travelling through the tranquil River Stour.

But some critics say the painting conceals a dark secret. Not present in the scene are the poorer workers of the time, many of whom were suffering from hunger and poverty.

John Constable’s ‘The Hay Wain’ (The National Gallery)

The painter himself was the son of a wealthy corn merchant, and is thought to have held conservative views.

The National Gallery curator Dr Mary McMahon said: “We want to talk about everything that has not been included in this painting.

“The British landscape was a contested space,” she told The Telegraph, adding that Constable “knew what it looked like for people to work the fields, but he would never have done that himself.”

The new exhibition will attempt to explain the full social context of the painting. It will be displayed alongside satirical images from the period which give another perspective on the politics of the time.

Here are some other curated exhibitions from recent years that have caused controversy:

‘Looney Tunes’ Jesus

In early July, authorities removed a painting in which Jesus and other biblical figures were depicted with Looney Tunes-style faces from a local gallery.

Critics had complained that the work, displayed in west Sydney, “mocked” Jesus. The oil painting, entitled Jesus Speaks to the Daughters of Jerusalem, was made by 48-year-old artist Phil James.

The decision to remove came after a fierce campaign from the Australian religious group Christian Lives Matter. Many were upset at the decision, which was seen as undue censorship.

Local mayor Ned Mannoun said: “The right to free speech needs to be balanced with the right to practice your religion without fear, persecution, or ridicule.

“The Christian community (and many Muslims) take offence at Jesus Christ being portrayed as a Looney Tunes character.

“The Christian Messiah and the Muslim Messiah Jesus has no connection to the cartoon character Goofy.”

Tate Britain’s inclusive revamp

Tate Britain is one of London’s most popular galleries (PA Archive)

Last year, Tate Britain overhauled its historical offering with an “inclusive” reimagining of its gallery.

The move came as part of the gallery’s commitment to race equality. It saw curators move several paintings with links to the British Empire to make way for more by artists of colour and that address themes of race and identity.

A spokesperson for the museum said: “The founding of our gallery and the building of its collection are inextricably connected to Britain’s colonial past.

“We know there are uncomfortable and inappropriate images, ideas and histories in the past 500 years of art which need to be acknowledged and explored.

“These are not new aims for Tate. We have a stated objective to become a more inclusive institution that reflects the world we live in now. But progress has not been fast or significant enough.”

The move was criticised by some as ahistorical, and bowing to political pressures of the modern day.

The ‘Pablo-matic’ Picasso exhibit

Stand up Hannah Gadsby curated a Picasso exhibition in 2023 (Getty Images for Hamilton Austra)

There are few modern artists more famous than Pablo Picasso. The Spanish painter, who died in 1973, has many famous works from Les Demoiselles D’Avignon (1907) to Guernica (1937).

However, recent years have seen a new light shone on the cultural icon, with some critics wanting to draw attention to his behaviour behind the scenes.

This was the intention of Hannah Gadsby when they launched their 2023 exhibition Pablo-matic: Picasso According to Hannah Gadsby.

The Australian comedian used the display to express their view that Picasso was a “monumentally misogynistic and abusive domestic authoritarian dictator” that “takes up too much space.”

The exhibition featured several paintings by Picasso, with Gadsby adding their own humorous musings. One painting depicting two nude figures, for instance, is presented with the description: “Weird flex”.

Gadsby would later say they “regret” the work, with one art critic calling the display “disastrous”.

It’s... just a banana?

Maurizio Cattelan’s “Comedian” (Getty Images)

The ‘Art Basel Banana’ took the internet by storm in 2019, even making the front pages of several US newspapers.

In case you’ve forgotten, the work was a simple banana which was attached to a white wall with duct tape. And that’s it.

The idea came from Italian artist and absurdist Maurizio Cattelan, who titled the work Comedian. It was displayed at the Art Basel show at Miami Beach.

With critics divided on whether the idea was high-concept or ridiculous, it nonetheless was sold for $120,000. The owner now owns the certificate of art, but has to replace the banana themselves.