Royal Academy faces open letter over removal of Gaza-related works from Young Artists' Summer Show

The Royal Academy of Arts has drawn criticism from 770 artists and public figures for removing two works from its Young Artists' Summer Show earlier this month. An open letter, signed by notable figures including artists Nan Goldin, Tai Shani, and Rosalind Nashashibi, musician Brian Eno, and writers Natasha Walter, Ken Loach, Kamila Shamsie, and Sabrina Mahfouz, condemns the decision as 'anti-Palestinian censorship.' The letter states that the removed artworks respond to 'Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza' and accuses the RA of stigmatizing young artists and dehumanizing Palestinians. The removal followed a complaint from the Board of Deputies of British Jews, whose vice president Andrew Gilbert posted on X/Twitter that three works displayed 'antisemitic tropes and messaging.' These works included a drawing of a faceless pilot with a Star of David over bodies in shrouds, another showing women embracing under a swastika, and a photograph of a person holding a sign reading 'Jews say stop genocide on Palestinians: Not in Our Name.' The open letter argues that the RA's action supports a 'racist, anti-Palestinian campaign' rather than protecting Jewish people. It demands that the Royal Academy explain how it will repair the harm caused by the removal. The controversy highlights tensions over artistic expression and political commentary in institutional settings.