Tai Shani Calls for Artworld Solidarity with Palestine Amid Censorship and BDS Backlash

Tai Shani, an artist who won the Turner Prize, argues that tactics reminiscent of McCarthy-era blacklisting are resurfacing to stifle advocacy for Palestinian rights. The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement is facing claims of antisemitism. In Germany, Documenta 15 artists were targeted by the Kassel Alliance Against Anti-Semitism, attracting political attention. At the University of Manchester, UK Lawyers for Israel exerted pressure on the Vice Chancellor regarding a pro-Palestine exhibition. Vogue edited a post about Gigi Hadid's donations to exclude mentions of Palestine. Since June 2021, Israeli forces have killed 47 Palestinians. Shani highlights that 240 Jewish scholars endorse boycotts, while German courts uphold BDS rights. The Conservative government in the UK is pushing for anti-BDS and anti-protest legislation. In May 2021, Shani was among over 1,000 artists who signed the #visualartsforpalestine pledge.