An art exhibition scheduled to open this month in southwest London has been canceled following concerns raised by UK Lawyers for Israel over antisemitic imagery and narratives in the work.
Delta House Gallery in Wandsworth withdrew “Drawings Against Genocide,” a planned exhibition by artist Matthew Collings that was set to run from May 16 to 24, after UKLFI sent a letter to the gallery’s owners detailing problematic content in the pieces.
According to UKLFI, the works featured antisemitic imagery and narratives, including depictions that demonized Jews and Israelis, invoked antisemitic conspiracy theories, and drew comparisons between Israel and Nazi Germany. British media reviews of the exhibition called its antisemitic themes “grotesque” and said the work “was dripping with Jew-hate,” UKLFI said.
In its letter to the gallery, UKLFI warned that the material could potentially violate the Public Order Act 1986 and expose the venue to legal liability and reputational damage.
Following receipt of the letter, the gallery announced it would not proceed with the exhibition, stating that the event had been arranged without the owners’ consultation or knowledge.
“There is a real danger in normalizing antisemitic imagery and narratives in cultural spaces,” UKLFI said in a statement welcoming the cancellation. “When material that demonizes Jews or recycles classic antisemitic tropes is presented as legitimate artistic expression, it risks lowering the threshold for what is considered acceptable in public discourse.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
