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Monday, September 28
Global Free Speech

Contents War is brutal. During conflicts there is little time for art. Museums and theatres are flattened by bombs, a trend we have been covering in Index for some years now. On the ground, people often have more pressing concerns like finding food or repelling the enemy. But war can also inspire the most incredible artistic endeavour, as painters and poets are forced to look again at a fragile world and bear witness to the atrocities that warring parties would rather keep hidden. In this issue, Martin Bright talks to Magnum photographer and artist Nanna Heitmann about her work The Machinery of War, which presents uncomfortable truths about propaganda and the Ukraine war. As Salil Tripathi writes from the USA, writers and artists are able to discuss the Israel-Hamas war much more freely than they could during the Iraq war a quarter-century ago, and are less likely to face blanket censorship. After 9/11, Tripathi observes, George Bush essentially threw down the gauntlet. War is often talked about in stark black and white terms, but artists are able to give nuance. Maria Sorenson makes this point while highlighting work about war that has been censored in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine because it does not toe the official patriotic line. “Narrowing life into ideology, flattening human complexity into slogans, symbols and sanctioned truths is what propaganda does best. Art has always been – and still remains – one of the ways to resist that,” she writes. Enjoy the magazine. It has reports and discussions from around the world about how censorship works today, and about how brave artists continue to struggle to explain the complexity of the world Up Front The art of war: Sally GimsonArtists across the globe fight back against censors in times of war The Index: Mark StimpsonAll the latest free expression news, elections and people to watch Features Complacency, culture wars, and money troubles are killing theatre: Sally GimsonAn investigation into suppression of political theatre in the UK More haste, less free speech: Amy FallonThe phrases “globalise the intifada” is banned in Queensland Prove who you are: Sajad Hameed, Rehan Qayoom MirThe Kashmiri shawl sellers driven out of business for being Muslim AI brings the disappeared back to life: Amy BoothAI imagines the victims of Argentina’s military junta “Factually incorrect and dangerously one-sided”: how lawyers face down art: Freddie LoweHow the law is used against artists Putin’s Russia is policing women’s right to choose: Olga BorisovaRussia wants women to have children, if they want to or not The long reach of Rwanda: Martin PlautNowhere is out of reach of attacks by Kagame’s government Outwitting the censors: Mkhululi ChimoioThe artists censored in Africa for a quarter of a century The UK is a hunting ground for authoritarian regimes: Clive Stafford Smith, Roshaan KhattakTransnational repression, from Pakistan to Cambridge with love The monster unleashed Şener Özmen’s uncompleted story: Kaya Genç A profile of the Kurdish artist persecuted for his love of Tracey Emin The war in Sudan – artists and censorship: Danson KahyanaSudanese artists speak about their life in exile Ways of seeing – Iranian cinema’s struggle to reflect its country: Tara AghdashlooThe Iranian filmmakers fighting censorship, no matter the cost Art and anarchy in troubled times: Maria SorensenThe Ukrainian artists sticking it to the man Putting beauty – and brutality – in the eye of the beholder: Martin BrightThe War Is Peace? exhibition at Oslo’s Nobel Peace Centre Who gets to speak? American art and writing in times of war: Salil Tripathi Suppression of critical voices in the USA in the wake of 9/11 Comment Murdering the messenger: Oren PersicoThe reasons Israel killed more journalists than any other country last year Why can’t art be beautiful: Marc Nash A review of John Byrne’s Useful Art: How Activists Artists Can Change the World The secret world of royal finances: Norman Baker The Royal Family should be more open about money Taking a stance against the banning of books: Katie Dancey-DownsIndex investigates a Manchester school that banned twilight The wild west: Jemimah SteinfeldBanning Kanye West could be a slippery slope The power of a book: Sarah Wynn-WilliamsWynn-Williams’ acceptance speech, about fellow award-winner Virginia Giuffre Shadows called woman: Kaya Genç, Maryam RanjbariA painter detained multiple times for her paintings in Iran Culture Being queer in Ukraine – tales of citizenship and resistance: Connor O’Brien, J Lester FederWar, civic duty, and the desire of authoritarian regimes to suppress LGBTQ+ voices. Don’t forget the women of Afghanistan: Ruth Green, Marzia BabakarkhailThe author meets an exiled champion of women’s rights Unrequited love: Steve Komarnyckyj, Khrystia AlchevskaA romantic short story by poet Khrystia Alchevska More Tea?: Sophie TeaThe TikTok sensation talks about inclusivity in her art READ MORE

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Contents War is brutal. During conflicts there is little time for art. Museums and theatres are flattened by bombs, a trend we have been covering in Index for some years now. On the ground, people often have more pressing concerns like finding food or repelling the enemy. But war can also inspire the most incredible artistic endeavour, as painters and poets are forced to look again at a fragile world and bear witness to the atrocities that warring parties would rather keep hidden. In this issue, Martin Bright talks to Magnum photographer and artist Nanna Heitmann about her work The Machinery of War, which presents uncomfortable truths about propaganda and the Ukraine war. As Salil Tripathi writes from the USA, writers and artists are able to discuss the Israel-Hamas war much more freely than they could during the Iraq war a quarter-century ago, and are less likely to face blanket censorship. After 9/11, Tripathi observes, George Bush essentially threw down the gauntlet. War is often talked about in stark black and white terms, but artists are able to give nuance. Maria Sorenson makes this point while highlighting work about war that has been censored in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine because it does not toe the official patriotic line. “Narrowing life into ideology, flattening human complexity into slogans, symbols and sanctioned truths is what propaganda does best. Art has always been – and still remains – one of the ways to resist that,” she writes. Enjoy the magazine. It has reports and discussions from around the world about how censorship works today, and about how brave artists continue to struggle to explain the complexity of the world Up Front The art of war: Sally GimsonArtists across the globe fight back against censors in times of war The Index: Mark StimpsonAll the latest free expression news, elections and people to watch Features Complacency, culture wars, and money troubles are killing theatre: Sally GimsonAn investigation into suppression of political theatre in the UK More haste, less free speech: Amy FallonThe phrases “globalise the intifada” is banned in Queensland Prove who you are: Sajad Hameed, Rehan Qayoom MirThe Kashmiri shawl sellers driven out of business for being Muslim AI brings the disappeared back to life: Amy BoothAI imagines the victims of Argentina’s military junta “Factually incorrect and dangerously one-sided”: how lawyers face down art: Freddie LoweHow the law is used against artists Putin’s Russia is policing women’s right to choose: Olga BorisovaRussia wants women to have children, if they want to or not The long reach of Rwanda: Martin PlautNowhere is out of reach of attacks by Kagame’s government Outwitting the censors: Mkhululi ChimoioThe artists censored in Africa for a quarter of a century The UK is a hunting ground for authoritarian regimes: Clive Stafford Smith, Roshaan KhattakTransnational repression, from Pakistan to Cambridge with love The monster unleashed Şener Özmen’s uncompleted story: Kaya Genç A profile of the Kurdish artist persecuted for his love of Tracey Emin The war in Sudan – artists and censorship: Danson KahyanaSudanese artists speak about their life in exile Ways of seeing – Iranian cinema’s struggle to reflect its country: Tara AghdashlooThe Iranian filmmakers fighting censorship, no matter the cost Art and anarchy in troubled times: Maria SorensenThe Ukrainian artists sticking it to the man Putting beauty – and brutality – in the eye of the beholder: Martin BrightThe War Is Peace? exhibition at Oslo’s Nobel Peace Centre Who gets to speak? American art and writing in times of war: Salil Tripathi Suppression of critical voices in the USA in the wake of 9/11 Comment Murdering the messenger: Oren PersicoThe reasons Israel killed more journalists than any other country last year Why can’t art be beautiful: Marc Nash A review of John Byrne’s Useful Art: How Activists Artists Can Change the World The secret world of royal finances: Norman Baker The Royal Family should be more open about money Taking a stance against the banning of books: Katie Dancey-DownsIndex investigates a Manchester school that banned twilight The wild west: Jemimah SteinfeldBanning Kanye West could be a slippery slope The power of a book: Sarah Wynn-WilliamsWynn-Williams’ acceptance speech, about fellow award-winner Virginia Giuffre Shadows called woman: Kaya Genç, Maryam RanjbariA painter detained multiple times for her paintings in Iran Culture Being queer in Ukraine – tales of citizenship and resistance: Connor O’Brien, J Lester FederWar, civic duty, and the desire of authoritarian regimes to suppress LGBTQ+ voices. Don’t forget the women of Afghanistan: Ruth Green, Marzia BabakarkhailThe author meets an exiled champion of women’s rights Unrequited love: Steve Komarnyckyj, Khrystia AlchevskaA romantic short story by poet Khrystia Alchevska More Tea?: Sophie TeaThe TikTok sensation talks about inclusivity in her art READ MORE

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Contents

War is brutal. During conflicts there is little time for art. Museums and theatres are flattened by bombs, a trend we have been covering in Index for some years now. On the ground, people often have more pressing concerns like finding food or repelling the enemy. But war can also inspire the most incredible artistic endeavour, as painters and poets are forced to look again at a fragile world and bear witness to the atrocities that warring parties would rather keep hidden.

In this issue, Martin Bright talks to Magnum photographer and artist Nanna Heitmann about her work The Machinery of War, which presents uncomfortable truths about propaganda and the Ukraine war.

As Salil Tripathi writes from the USA, writers and artists are able to discuss the Israel-Hamas war much more freely than they could during the Iraq war a quarter-century ago, and are less likely to face blanket censorship. After 9/11, Tripathi observes, George Bush essentially threw down the gauntlet. War is often talked about in stark black and white terms, but artists are able to give nuance.

Maria Sorenson makes this point while highlighting work about war that has been censored in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine because it does not toe the official patriotic line. “Narrowing life into ideology, flattening human complexity into slogans, symbols and sanctioned truths is what propaganda does best. Art has always been – and still remains – one of the ways to resist that,” she writes.

Enjoy the magazine. It has reports and discussions from around the world about how censorship works today, and about how brave artists continue to struggle to explain the complexity of the world

Up Front

The art of war: Sally Gimson
Artists across the globe fight back against censors in times of war

The Index: Mark Stimpson
All the latest free expression news, elections and people to watch

Features

Complacency, culture wars, and money troubles are killing theatre: Sally Gimson
An investigation into suppression of political theatre in the UK

More haste, less free speech: Amy Fallon
The phrases “globalise the intifada” is banned in Queensland

Prove who you are: Sajad Hameed, Rehan Qayoom Mir
The Kashmiri shawl sellers driven out of business for being Muslim

AI brings the disappeared back to life: Amy Booth
AI imagines the victims of Argentina’s military junta

“Factually incorrect and dangerously one-sided”: how lawyers face down art: Freddie Lowe
How the law is used against artists

Putin’s Russia is policing women’s right to choose: Olga Borisova
Russia wants women to have children, if they want to or not

The long reach of Rwanda: Martin Plaut
Nowhere is out of reach of attacks by Kagame’s government

Outwitting the censors: Mkhululi Chimoio
The artists censored in Africa for a quarter of a century

The UK is a hunting ground for authoritarian regimes: Clive Stafford Smith, Roshaan Khattak
Transnational repression, from Pakistan to Cambridge with love

The monster unleashed

Şener Özmen’s uncompleted story: Kaya Genç
A profile of the Kurdish artist persecuted for his love of Tracey Emin

The war in Sudan – artists and censorship: Danson Kahyana
Sudanese artists speak about their life in exile

Ways of seeing – Iranian cinema’s struggle to reflect its country: Tara Aghdashloo
The Iranian filmmakers fighting censorship, no matter the cost

Art and anarchy in troubled times: Maria Sorensen
The Ukrainian artists sticking it to the man

Putting beauty – and brutality – in the eye of the beholder: Martin Bright
The War Is Peace? exhibition at Oslo’s Nobel Peace Centre

Who gets to speak? American art and writing in times of war: Salil Tripathi
Suppression of critical voices in the USA in the wake of 9/11

Comment

Murdering the messenger: Oren Persico
The reasons Israel killed more journalists than any other country last year

Why can’t art be beautiful: Marc Nash
A review of John Byrne’s Useful Art: How Activists Artists Can Change the World

The secret world of royal finances: Norman Baker
The Royal Family should be more open about money

Taking a stance against the banning of books: Katie Dancey-Downs
Index investigates a Manchester school that banned twilight

The wild west: Jemimah Steinfeld
Banning Kanye West could be a slippery slope

The power of a book: Sarah Wynn-Williams
Wynn-Williams’ acceptance speech, about fellow award-winner Virginia Giuffre

Shadows called woman: Kaya Genç, Maryam Ranjbari
A painter detained multiple times for her paintings in Iran

Culture

Being queer in Ukraine – tales of citizenship and resistance: Connor O’Brien, J Lester Feder
War, civic duty, and the desire of authoritarian regimes to suppress LGBTQ+ voices.

Don’t forget the women of Afghanistan: Ruth Green, Marzia Babakarkhail
The author meets an exiled champion of women’s rights

Unrequited love: Steve Komarnyckyj, Khrystia Alchevska
A romantic short story by poet Khrystia Alchevska

More Tea?: Sophie Tea
The TikTok sensation talks about inclusivity in her art

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Global Free Speech

The BBC clearly sees the value of television series That Mitchell and Webb Look. Marking the 20th anniversary of its original screening, the Beeb has re-released the series on iPlayer. But – and there is very often a “but” with these things – they’ve removed around 11 sketches from the BAFTA award-winning show. The official word is that these sketches don’t “work today”, which is polite speak for “they may cause offence”. The episodes singled out include scenes featuring a battle reenactment with characters in blackface, a contestant on a show wearing a burka and a lost tribe” in a garden centre. These sketches set out to challenge stereotypes, not to reinforce them; but 20 years on, this distinction seems to have been lost along the way. I’m a bit uncomfortable about this. I find it infantilising, to say the least. Can’t we trust audiences to make up their own minds, to switch off if they find the sketches in question unpalatable? Does the BBC think that we are just passive consumers, unable to disaggregate the mocking of racism from racism itself? These sketches set out to challenge stereotypes, not to reinforce them This act of censorship is distorting – of the shows, whose narratives and rhythms were built to include these sketches, and more broadly too. Conversations we were having 20 years ago have been erased, as if to suggest that they never happened. But they did! And with this erasure, the opportunity for thoughtful engagement and learning from our past is gone. “Let’s just pretend we were all lovely 20 years ago. It’s better that way” seems to be the message. Speaking as a minority myself, I find that knowing the nasty stuff that people said before – and indeed, still say today – is much more useful than pretending it never happened. This approach, I think, is also inconsistent. What it reveals is a cherry-picking (intended or not) of the groups that we can mock, and those that we can’t. Let’s face it, gender stereotypes are rarely deemed to have aged beyond the pale – if that were the case, we would have to wave goodbye to half the television made before the mid-2010s. Suppression like this sends a bad message to artists, namely that what they’re creating today may hold less value tomorrow. Or, even worse, that future audiences may deem them bigots – that Sword of Damocles hovering over the heads of any creative paying attention to the discourse of the moment. Suppression like this sends a bad message to artists The BBC’s decision reaffirms a broader trend. In 2020, Little Britain was removed from the iPlayer platform for similar reasons. It has since been reinstated – minus some sketches. Meanwhile, the UK’s arts space more broadly is seeing a retreat to the land of “safe”, as Index recently revealed in a year-long investigation into self-censorship in UK theatre. The BBC, it must be said, does remarkable stuff. The ongoing podcast investigation into the disappearance of US journalist Austin Tice is just one example. But this does not mean, however, that they don’t sometimes get it wrong. Chopping at That Mitchell and Webb Look is one example. Sure, the removal of the material isn’t the life-or-death story that Index often works on. Sure, Mitchell and Webb aren’t the faces of persecuted artists – they have huge platforms and agreed to the changes themselves. Still, one can’t help but think that the decision came from a place of conservatism, perhaps even fear. This is weak and dispiriting, indeed the very opposite of what enables creativity in the arts. We shouldn’t be encouraging this cultural timidity. Rather, we should harness culture and creativity as the starting points of a conversation about our here and now. That’s what the arts are for, after all. READ MORE

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