Helen Cammock Withdraws Work from National Portrait Gallery, London
The piece’s withdrawal follows controversy surrounding its statement that Winston Churchill had intentionally starved the Indian population during the 1943 Bengal famine
.jpg%3F2026-06-29T15%3A03%3A21.517Z&w=3840&q=100)
Helen Cammock. Photo: Thierry Bal, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The artist Helen Cammock has withdrawn a video work, Persistence (2022), from the Artists First: Contemporary Perspectives on Portraiture exhibition at London’s National Portrait Gallery, reported the BBC. Cammock’s withdrawal follows controversy surrounding its statement that Winston Churchill had intentionally starved the Indian population during the 1943 Bengal famine.
In a statement, the artist said: ‘There is an incredible pressure on artists and arts institutions to bend to external pressure; to be benign at best and silent at worst… I do not accept this pressure. To question, challenge and explore ideas and histories is vital to a healthy society and art is intrinsic to this.’
The video work had been denounced earlier this month by Craig Simpson in The Telegraph, who argued that it formed an ‘attack on British leaders’. This provoked an open letter to the National Portrait Gallery, published by Churchill’s biographer, citing the falsity of Cammock’s statements. This was signed by over fifty people.
Related content
News
Austrian presidential hopeful pledges to return Aztec headdress to Mexico
As Austria prepares for 2028 elections, a presidential hopeful said he would return a contested Aztec object to Mexico
Prague’s First International Contemporary Art Fair to Launch Next Spring
The Czech Republic’s first international art fair, Prague Contemporary, will hold its inaugural edition at the Industrial Palace in Výstaviště Praha at the end of April next year.
Bangkok Art Biennale Announces the Complete Lineup for Its Fifth Edition
72 artists from around the world will take over Bangkok across temples, museums, cultural institutions and public spaces from 29 October 2026 to 28 February 2027.
The Van Gogh Museum Reaches Agreement on Renovation Budget
The Van Gogh Museum has reached a settlement with the Dutch government over the financing of the museum’s renovation, set to start in late 2028.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Names New Director
Souraya Noujaim returns to the museum where she previously spent five years as its collections director.
Tang Contemporary Closes Its Hong Kong Gallery
Tang Contemporary’s Wong Chuk Hang space in Hong Kong has indefinitely shut following allegations of outstanding debts across its network
Paris Photo Looks to Younger Collectors in Its Bicentenary Edition
As the fair marks 200 years of photography, its programme spans historical work, environmental concerns and AI-generated images
British Library Announces New CEO
The recently departed head of the UK Space Agency has been announced as the British Library’s new chief executive, as the institution emerges from a turbulent period and announces a new partnership with Netflix
A New Hope for George Lucas’s $1 Billion Museum
Far more than a home for Star Wars, George Lucas and Mellody Hobson’s new Los Angeles museum brings fine art, comics, illustration, photography and cinema together under the banner of ‘narrative art’
Powerhouse Parramatta Opens as Governance Questions Linger
The $915 million museum will open in November with a major festival and five inaugural exhibitions, as investigations into governance and procurement continue
-1.jpg%3F2026-09-17T16%3A44%3A23.891Z&w=3840&q=100)
Swedish Centre-Left Bloc Secures Slim Majority
Following a tight election, Sweden’s opposition bloc has secured a narrow victory over the outgoing right-wing bloc. What could it mean for the cultural sector?
Washington DC’s Kennedy Center Risks Fiscal Collapse
Internal documents obtained by The Washington Post warn that the Kennedy Center faces “fiscal collapse” within weeks, after ticket sales and fundraising plunged amid upheaval following Donald Trump’s takeover
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter
Intel on the art market. Straight to your inbox.
