The National Trust has covered over a piece of art, called A Virtuous Woman, previously on display at Hardwick Hall, an Elizabethan stately home in Derbyshire.
Visitors are now confronted by a sign which says “Unfortunately, the artwork has been tampered with by a member of the public. Please bear with us while we assess the piece and decide on the best course of action.”
I am grateful to the correspondent who brought this to my attention.
On Saturday, a feminist campaigner called Jean Hatchet removed some stitching from the artwork which had been sewn over JK Rowling’s name.
After doing so Hatchet posted footage of the act to X along with a statement which read: “Injustice to JK Rowling corrected. Don’t erase the names of women from art or life.”
For the full story, click here.
The subsequent covering over of the artwork was seen by a female National Trust member on Monday. She kindly sent me her photos and told me: “I was quite upset to see what they had done.”
My correspondent (who wishes to remain anonymous) said she raised the issue with a nearby volunteer who “said that he was aware that a piece in the exhibition had been damaged by a member of the public.
“He initially appeared critical that she had publicised the incident on twitter, but it became clear as we talked that he didn’t know the full story behind it. I told him that I was very disappointed to think that the National Trust was colluding in the deliberate erasure of JK Rowling from an artwork purporting to celebrate virtuous women. I acknowledged that other people might disagree with me but said that I didn’t think it was appropriate for the National Trust to pick a side.
“When I explained how upset I was that the National Trust appeared to me to be taking a position against feminists who thought as I did, he initially said that it was ‘complicated’ but eventually ended up being quite supportive and expressed some sympathy for my views.”
A Virtuous Woman was commissioned in collaboration with the University of Leeds. It was conceived and overseen by the artist Layla Khoo, who, according to the National Trust “has drawn inspiration from the 16th century Noblewomen Embroideries at Hardwick Hall”. The artwork invited “visitors to express their choices through participation”.
One visitor chose embroider JK Rowling’s name into the work, and another chose to embroider over it:
This is what the artwork looked like before it was covered over:
The National Trust have said that none of the views expressed or actions taken by participants represent the views of the National Trust or the artist.
I asked the Trust for a comment on their decision to cover over the work. They replied: “The artwork was open to contributions for 8 months and closed in November when the piece was finished and put on public display. During the participation phase, JK Rowling’s name was stitched onto the piece seven times and in two instances it was stitched over by other participants. At the time the artwork was completed and subsequently hung, JK Rowling’s name appeared five times without any overstitching. We ask people not to damage or tamper with artworks once they are finished and on public display. The piece has been taken off display for investigation and to protect it from further tampering or damage. We take all claims and incidents of damage to items in our care seriously and investigate each one.”
The Women’s Right’s Network have posted a short film of their initial visit to Hardwick Hall which drew nationwide attention to A Virtuous Woman and what they called the “malevolent” stitching over of JK Rowling’s name. Watch it here.
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