British Museum Appends Trigger Warnings to Paintings of the English Countryside, Warning That These Encourage Pride in One's Country and, Get This, White Supremacy

The Hay Wain by John Constable
this painting may turn you into Hitler

From MXMNews:

The Fitzwilliam Museum in England has issued a warning that images of the British countryside in paintings can evoke "dark," "nationalist feelings." The museum, owned by the University of Cambridge, has undertaken an overhaul of its displays in a move that its director insisted was not "woke".

Key Details

The Fitzwilliam Museum has reorganized its displays to make the museum more "inclusive."

Signs in the Nature Gallery, featuring the work of artist John Constable, suggest that the artwork can stir feelings of "pride towards a homeland."

Another part of the sign warns visitors of a "darker side" to the images of the British countryside, implying that only those with a historical tie to the land have a right to belong.

Diving Deeper

The Fitzwilliam Museum's decision to reorganize its displays and issue warnings about the potential nationalist feelings evoked by images of the British countryside has sparked a debate about the role of art in society. The museum's director, Luke Syson, has defended the move, arguing that it is not an example of being "woke."

Definitely not a smug wokie:

Video of this #based curator here.

He seems like the sort of guy for whom a stranger's penis in his mouth would not go amiss.

One of the key changes has been in the Nature Gallery, where the work of artist John Constable is displayed. Constable is known for his paintings of the English countryside, particularly the Suffolk countryside. The museum has added signs next to these paintings, suggesting that they can stir feelings of "pride towards a homeland." The signs also note that landscape paintings have always been entangled with national identity, with the countryside seen as a direct link to the past and a true reflection of the essence of a nation.

However, the museum has also warned of a "darker side" to these images. The signs suggest that evoking nationalist feelings can imply that only those with a historical tie to the land have a right to belong.

The Vale of Dedham by John Constable
You know who else liked trees and summer, right?

David Strom at Hot Air, quoting the Telegraph:

A sign for the Nature gallery states: "Landscape paintings were also always entangled with national identity.

"The countryside was seen as a direct link to the past, and therefore a true reflection of the essence of a nation.

"Paintings showing rolling English hills or lush French fields reinforced loyalty and pride towards a homeland.

"The darker side of evoking this nationalist feeling is the implication that only those with a historical tie to the land have a right to belong."

The claims about the depiction of landscapes comes after the charity umbrella group Wildlife and Countryside Link submitted a report to MPs which claimed that the British countryside was seen as a "racist colonial" white space.

However, Mr Syson has insisted the shake-up of the museum is not "woke" or "radical chic", saying: "Being inclusive and representative shouldn't be controversial; it should be enriching."

More of John Constable's Wagnerian landscapes here.

posted by Disinformation Expert Ace at 04:27 PM

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