Western Arts Find Their Moral Compass . . . in Saudi Cash
Major cultural institutions, which once tut-tutted over Saudi Arabia's human rights record (remember Jamal Khashoggi's grisly murder in 2018, or the ongoing bombardment of Yemen since 2014?), are now lining up for a piece of the kingdom's 'Vision 2030' cultural spend. The FT reports this as a pragmatic shift, a new 'embrace' of Gulf riches. One might wonder if the 'embrace' feels less like
cultural exchange and more like a very expensive group hug, complete with a gag order on inconvenient truths. It appears the 'bastions' are less about artistic integrity and more about deep pockets. How quickly 'human rights abuses' become 'a challenging past' when billions are on the table. Perhaps the Louvre or the Met can eventually fund a new wing dedicated to whitewashing reputations, as the
current one seems to be selling off its soul, one petrodollar at a time.