What ‘Artists for Palestine’ Really Means

Ihad planned to write about the lovely Meiji Modern exhibition at the Asia Society, which is showing Japanese art from the late 1860s to the early 1910s. It’s an undervalued time for Japanese art, mainly because the art of this period — the Meiji were the imperial family and named the era — is still viewed by old-time art historians as compromised by Western culture. The exhibition debunks this view with startlingly good art. I’ll write about it in my weekend piece.

Alas, I’m derailed by news about artists and art organizations writing open letters and calling for strikes in solidarity with “the Palestinian struggle for liberation,” all stimulated by the October 7 massacre of Israeli civilians. In this context and as a practical matter, “the Palestinian struggle for liberation” means Hamas and antisemitic violence.

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Brian T. Allen

Brian T. Allen is National Review’s art critic.

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Ihad planned to write about the lovely Meiji Modern exhibition at the Asia Society, which is showing Japanese art from the late 1860s to the early 1910s. It’s an undervalued time for Japanese art, mainly because the art of this period — the Meiji were the imperial family and named the era — is still viewed by old-time art historians as compromised by Western culture. The exhibition debunks this view with startlingly good art. I’ll write about it in my weekend piece.

Alas, I’m derailed by news about artists and art organizations writing open letters and calling for strikes in solidarity with “the Palestinian struggle for liberation,” all stimulated by the October 7 massacre of Israeli civilians. In this context and as a practical matter, “the Palestinian struggle for liberation” means Hamas and antisemitic violence.