Artwashing
Artwashing describes the use of art and artists in a positive way to distract from or legitimize negative actions by an individual, organization, country, or government—especially in reference to gentrification.[1][2]
Etymology[edit]
With a structure similar to terms such as greenwashing, pinkwashing, and purplewashing, it is a portmanteau of the words "art" and "whitewashing". The term was coined in the 2017 protests against gentrification in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.[3][4][5][6]
Examples[edit]
Episodes described as "artwashing" include the following:
- The gentrification of the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA.[5]
- Israel's hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 amid its policy of apartheid against Palestinians as well as its participation in the 2024 contest during its offensive on Gaza.[7][8]
- Donations from the Sackler family, owners of the pharmaceutical company at the center of the US opioid crisis, to museums such as the Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Tate Gallery.[9][10]
- The use of international artists and architecture studios such as Bjarke Ingels Group and MVRDV by the government of Albanian prime minister Edi Rama to mask its destruction of cultural heritage and repression of free speech.[11]
References[edit]
- ^ O'Sullivan, Ferguson (June 24, 2014). "The Pernicious Realities of 'Artwashing'". Bloomberg.
- ^ "From the MoMA expansion to 'artwashing' ill-gotten wealth: the major museum moments of 2019". www.theartnewspaper.com. December 12, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Dalley, Jan (August 17, 2018). "Why artwashing is a dirty word". www.ft.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ "Art & Gentrification: What is "Artwashing" and What Are Galleries Doing to Resist It?". Artspace. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ a b "Artwashing: the new watchword for anti-gentrification protesters". the Guardian. July 18, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ "Gentrification-What Do We Know?". Amplify Arts. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Soussi, Alasdair (March 13, 2024). "Why was Israel forced to change its song entry for Eurovision?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- ^ Meagher, John (April 11, 2024). "Eurovision, Israel and calls for a boycott: 'Some artists may be afraid to pull out — but if somebody jumps, others will too'". Independent.ie. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- ^ Harris, Elizabeth A. (May 15, 2019). "The Met Will Turn Down Sackler Money Amid Fury Over the Opioid Crisis". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Lieberman, Rhonda (September 23, 2019). "Painting Over the Dirty Truth". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Di Liscia, Valentina (May 19, 2020). "Open Letter Condemns the "Artwashing" of Albanian Prime Minister's Politics". Hyperallergic. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
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