Helen Cammock withdraws National Portrait Gallery video work after Churchill-Bengal famine controversy
By
ArtReview
Summary
Artist Helen Cammock has withdrawn her video work "Persistence" (2025) from the National Portrait Gallery's Artists First exhibition after controversy erupted over the piece's claim that Winston Churchill wilfully starved the Indian population during the 1943 Bengal famine. The work had been on display since September as part of an exhibition inviting contemporary artists to create works in dialogue with the museum's collection.
Source
Twitter / XHelen Cammock withdraws National Portrait Gallery video work after Churchill-Bengal famine controversyartreview.comKey quotes
· 2 pulledArtist Helen Cammock has withdrawn her video work Persistence (2025) from an exhibition at London's National Portrait Gallery following controversy around the piece's assertion that Winston Churchill had wilfully starved the Indian population during the 1943 Bengal famine.
The work had been on view since last September as part of the National Portrait Gallery's Artists First: Contemporary Perspectives on Portraiture exhibition, inviting contemporary artists to create works in dialogue with the museum's collection.
You might also wanna read
Brexit post-mortem: How Remain's complacency and the culture war reshaped British politics
A reflective analysis of the BBC documentary "Brexit: A Very British Civil War," examining the Remain campaign's failures, the role of compl
thenewworld.co.uk·10d ago
The Haunting Photograph of Tereska: A War-Traumatized Child's Drawing of "Home"
The article recounts the story of Tereska, a war-traumatized child in post-WWII Warsaw, who was photographed by David "Chim" Seymour in 1948
gailweiner.com·1mo ago
Oral history of the 2016 Brexit campaign: from referendum announcement to Cameron's resignation
An oral history of the five months in 2016 that shaped the UK's future, covering the Brexit referendum campaign from the announcement of the
theguardian.com·1d ago
The Farm Security Administration's 'Killed Negatives': Examining the Suppressed Photographs of the Great Depression
The article examines the history of the Farm Security Administration's photography program during the Great Depression, focusing on the prac
publicdomainreview.org·5mo ago
Nature & Mindfulness Diary: Rainy Days and Longing for Outdoor Painting in Northern England
A personal diary entry from June 13, 2026, reflecting on persistent rain in northern England that has limited outdoor activities. The author
branacos.com·11d ago
Bego Antón reconstruye la caza de brujas en el País Vasco a través de un contraarchivo visual
La fotógrafa Bego Antón, ganadora del Premio Revelación de PHotoEspaña 2017, presenta un contraarchivo visual que reconstruye la caza de bru
social.elpais.com·15d agoComments
Sign in to join the conversation.
No comments yet. Be the first.