In a world where classic literature is being shelved and masterpieces are being scrutinized, one art gallery’s controversial decision is challenging the very essence of artistic expression.
London’s Courtauld Gallery, a colossal art institution holding the UK’s largest collection of Impressionist works, has decided to append “trigger warnings” to some of its most cherished masterpieces. This move, seen by many as a capitulation to ‘woke’ culture, has sparked a heated debate about the intersection of political correctness and artistic freedom.
Take, for example, Édouard Manet’s iconic 1882 piece, “A Bar at the Folies-Bergère”. This painting, which artistically captures a moment in a famous Parisian club with a young barmaid in the foreground, has been labeled with a trigger warning for ‘misogyny’. Critics argue that the painting’s narrative—centered on the so-called ‘male gaze’—might be offensive to some patrons.
The gallery’s justification, both in-house and online, is that the barmaid’s “enigmatic expression” could be “unsettling” since she appears to be engaging with a male customer. This, however, has sparked backlash from various corners of the art community, with many viewing this move as an overreaction.
Art historian Ruth Millington is among those who have spoken out against the gallery’s decision, describing it as a misguided “woke attempt to call out misogyny”. According to Millington, the decision to focus on the reflected male customer in the mirror only further amplifies the ‘male gaze’ that the trigger warning purportedly aims to critique.
Manet’s ‘offending’ painting, completed just a year before his death, was his last major work. The barmaid in the painting was modeled after Suzon, an employee at the renowned Folies-Bergère cabaret. The new label at the Courtauld Gallery likens the barmaid to the other commodities displayed in the painting such as wine, champagne, and beer.
Millington argues that the labeling unfairly and misogynistically emphasizes the male perspective. Instead, she suggests, the gallery could promote a fresher perspective by encouraging viewers to consider the woman’s thoughts.
The ‘misogyny’ trigger warning has been slapped on other works too, including Paul Gauguin’s 1897 painting, “Nevermore”. The gallery’s panel now includes a warning about the artist’s depiction of one of his underage ‘wives’, citing “the widespread racist fantasy of Tahitian girls as sexually precocious” as grounds for exploitation.
In our current era, it appears that the threshold for offense is at an all-time low. This raises the question: Should art galleries succumb to the pressure of political correctness and provide trigger warnings for their masterpieces? While some may argue in the affirmative, not everyone is ready to endorse such an idea.
Defending its decision, the Courtauld Gallery insists that the trigger warnings are meant to “open up discussions and start conversations”. But is this the right approach, or is it merely a capitulation to ‘woke’ culture? The debate rages on, highlighting the ongoing struggle between traditional conservative values and the push for ultra-progressivism.
Source: AWM