Tate Britain to Display Controversial Whistler Mural Alongside New Counter-Artwork

The decision to exhibit the 'racist' Rex Whistler mural aims to foster historical understanding, accompanied by a modern response piece.

Rex Whistler's 1927 mural, criticized for its racist depictions, will be publicly displayed at Tate Britain, following a period of review.
Artist Keith Piper was commissioned to create a counter-artwork, Viva Voce, which engages with the mural's themes and offers contemporary perspectives.
The mural's display in a restaurant was halted in 2020 after a Black Lives Matter protest, leading to its review and the decision to exhibit it in a new gallery space.
Piper emphasizes the importance of confronting historical depictions to maintain a clear sense of history and to inform current and future dialogues.
The counter-artwork, Viva Voce, includes footage of black soldiers in WWI and black American singers in 1920s London, providing context to the mural's era.