Art Platform Removes Listing of Antisemitic Artist's Exhibition
“Vaccines Are Safe Path To Freedom” - antisemitic artwork by Alexander Heaton.
The British anti-vax newspaper ‘The Light’ recently published an article promoting a crowdfunded art exhibition called 'The Cure is Worse than the Alleged Disease’. This exhibition, due to be displayed in May 2022 at ‘The Secret Art Gallery’ in London, is being organised by British artist Alexander Heaton, who is the author of the article. The intention of this exhibition to promote anti-vax disinformation and conspiracy narratives is clear: ‘The artworks will be for sale with a percentage of the profits going towards vaccine damage remediation therapy for children’, Heaton writes in his article.
When questioning the efficacy of the vaccines, Heaton uses Holocaust distortions and trivialisations such as the comparisons between the vaccination campaigns and concentration camps. When he was notified about the harm that his antisemitic and anti-vax claims are causing, Heaton claimed to be acting for the public good, and to be victimised for his actions, “Last year I made a drawing of the Auschwitz gates, which read ‘vaccines are safe path to freedom’. This was published on the back of some leaflets giving informed consent about the real risks of the mRNA injections. At the behest of a Twitter storm which soon ensued, I was violently arrested in my own home. Accusations of antisemitism and hate crimes were laid at my door by the establishment.”
The Media Diversity Institute (MDI) and Get the Trolls Out! are especially concerned by the publication of this highly inflammatory, antisemitic artwork in ‘The Light’ newspaper, alongside the article and the exhibition.
Promotional flier for ‘The Cure is Worse Than The Disease’ exhibition
Complaint to Alexander Heaton and ‘The Secret Art Gallery’
The Media Diversity Institute wrote letters of complaint to both Alexander Heaton and to ‘The Secret Art Gallery’ who is going to display the exhibition. MDI highlighted the antisemitic nature of this artwork and the dangers of relativising the Holocaust and promoting disinformation about the pandemic. MDI also pointed out a racist artwork which had previously been displayed at the art gallery - however, we have received no response to these letters.
Complaint to Art Rabbit
The Media Diversity Institute also wrote a complaint letter to the art platform Art Rabbit, after a participating artist listed the exhibition on their events listings. In the letter, MDI stated that they were ‘alarmed to find this harmful event listing… as the exhibition is harmful on two levels: firstly, by promoting anti-vax conspiracy theories which endanger public health and secondly, by promoting discriminatory, antisemitic narratives.’ MDI suggested they ‘consider removing this event listing’ from their site.
Art Rabbit replied to the MDI complaint letter to say that the ‘flagged event was taken down’ because it violated their community standards. They also thanked MDI ‘for flagging this harmful content’ as they had made them ‘realise we need to update our community guidelines to be more specific about misinformation.’
