The Wing Luke Museum in Seattle has decided to relocate its controversial exhibition following a staff walkout over accusations that the display equated antisemitism with anti-Zionism. The museum made this announcement on Friday, June 28, though the new venue for the exhibition has yet to be determined.
Museum Staff Walkout Protest
The controversy erupted when 26 employees, accounting for about half of the museum’s staff, walked out in protest of the exhibition titled “Confronting Hate Together.” The exhibit, a collaboration with the Black Heritage Society of Washington State and the Washington State Jewish Historical Society, aimed to highlight the violence faced by local Black, Jewish, and Asian communities. The museum described the show as “a unified response and community call to action against the bias and bigotry that sow seeds of division and hate across communities.”
Antisemitism vs. Anti-Zionism Debate
The walkout and subsequent decision to relocate the exhibition underscore the complex and often contentious discussions surrounding antisemitism and anti-Zionism, and how these issues intersect with other forms of community violence and discrimination. Stay tuned for updates on the new venue for “Confronting Hate Together” as the Wing Luke Museum navigates these challenging waters.
Wing Luke Museum Exhibition Controversy
The recent controversy at the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle has led to the relocation of its exhibition “Confronting Hate Together,” following a staff walkout. The core of the dispute centered around a wall text featured in a KUOW profile of the exhibition. The text, intended to address antisemitism and anti-Zionism, sparked significant backlash.
Confronting Hate Together Relocation
One of the most contentious points was a misquoted graffiti from the Herzl-Ner Tamid temple in Mercer Island, Washington. The museum’s text stated, “Today antisemitism is often disguised as anti-Zionism,” and referenced the graffiti, inaccurately quoting it as “Stop the killing” instead of “Stop Killing.” The text implied that local Jews could influence the Israeli government’s actions, which inflamed tensions.
Inclusive Exhibition Revision
Additionally, the exhibition text noted, “On university campuses, pro-Palestinian groups have voiced support for Hamas (which is classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government) and a Palestinian state stretching ‘from the river to the sea,’ a phrase defined by the erasure of Israel.”
In response, museum staff sent a letter to leadership on May 19, demanding that the institution remove language and partnerships that “attempt to frame Palestinian liberation and anti-Zionism as antisemitism.” They also called for the acknowledgment of excluded perspectives, particularly from Palestinians and the broader Arab and Muslim communities. The staff walked out on the exhibition’s opening day and did not return until May 29, leading to the museum’s closure for most of June.
In a June 28 statement, the museum acknowledged the recent turmoil and emphasized its commitment to moving forward and sharing the exhibition with the community. “We will relaunch Confronting Hate Together in solidarity. As always, we are unwaveringly committed to an exhibit that holds to its core message of confronting hate. We acknowledge the complexity of this deeply challenging work as we learn from each other. We ask for your continued grace and understanding as we navigate this process and express our deepest gratitude to our communities.”
Steve McLean, a museum spokesperson, shared with the South Seattle Emerald that ongoing discussions with staff and exhibition partners are shaping the revised exhibition at a new venue. “We have spent the time since the closure of the exhibit, or rather the postponement, doing some revision work, a lot of learning, a lot of education, working with the staff who had challenges and concerns,” McLean explained. “And really, really working with our partners to not only revise and make additions to the panels, but also explain and put some framing around what exactly happened and why it happened. We’re making a bigger exhibit out of it, essentially.”
As the museum prepares to relaunch the exhibition, it remains dedicated to addressing the issues raised and creating a more inclusive and comprehensive display.
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