Spain is rethinking the role of museums to move beyond colonial framing and censorship
Kyiv • UNN
The Spanish government is reviewing the activities of state museums to make sure they go beyond colonial ideas and counteract political interference and censorship in art.
The Spanish government, led by the Socialists, has announced a review of the activities of state museums to enable them to "go beyond colonial ideas" about people and the past, and has promised to fight against political interference and censorship in art. This was reported by UNN with reference to The Guardian.
Details
Minister of Culture Ernest Urtasun told MPs that he wants to "guarantee the effective exercise of cultural rights throughout Spain" and ensure that creative institutions interact with society and the wider world.
As you know, museums are living organisms that respond to the problems and debates of the time
He talks about creating spaces for dialogue and exchange that will allow museums to move beyond colonial frameworks or those rooted in old gender or ethnocentric habits. In his opinion, this often harms the way we see heritage, history, and artistic achievements.
Urtasun said that such considerations are already included in the programs of the National Anthropological Museum and the Museum of the Americas. The minister also expressed his determination to combat growing attempts to censor art for political purposes, saying that his department would support any creator, artist or collective whose work has been destroyed or censored.
Protecting culture and understanding its importance for building an equal society means protecting democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms, and the welfare state
Context
The conservative People's Party and the far-right Vox party have been accused of politically motivated censorship and fomenting culture wars in recent months after a number of events were canceled for ideological reasons.
