Activists gathered outside London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) to show support for the Gaza Biennale and protest the ICA’s sponsorship ties.
The streets outside the ICA in London were alive with voices and projections on Tuesday night, as protesters gathered for the first UK event of the Gaza Biennale.
Led by Gaza Biennale – Jinnaah UK (with Jinnaah meaning “pavilion” or “wing”), artworks were projected onto the ICA’s walls, making a visible statement about the resilience of Palestinian creativity in spite of Israel’s military onslaught.
The Gaza Biennale is a global project that aims to showcase Palestinian art both within the embattled coastal strip and in international galleries. It features artwork from more than 60 Palestinian artists – many of whom continue to create in Gaza under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions.
Tuesday’s protest also served as a form of resistance against the ICA’s ties to Bloomberg Philanthropies, which is funding the New Contemporaries exhibition hosted at the ICA that same evening. According to the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), Bloomberg Philanthropies, led by billionaire Mike Bloomberg, has been “directly implicated in facilitating settlement infrastructure in the West Bank.” These settlements, deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice, have been a focal point for global protests against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
For those at the demonstration, this event was not just about opposing the ICA’s sponsorship, but about amplifying the voices of Palestinian artists who are determined to share their stories despite overwhelming odds. As part of the Gaza Biennale’s mission, artists have pledged to continue their work as an act of resistance against the Israeli military assault on Gaza, with the belief that “Palestinian art pierces through all besieged spaces.”
The Biennale itself is being held both in Gaza and in partner venues worldwide. While artists inside Gaza face immense challenges in getting their works outside the besieged strip, the Biennale has garnered international support, with groups like The White Pube, Cultural Workers Against Genocide, and Workers for a Free Palestine joining the effort.
This protest has followed a growing wave of global calls for accountability. Last year, dozens of filmmakers petitioned the New York Film Festival to cut ties with Bloomberg Philanthropies for its involvement in funding a program that trained officials from more than 40 West Bank settlements.
