Woke Tate Modern puts trigger warning on puppet show over 'violence and dead bodies'

Woke Tate Modern puts trigger warning on puppet show over 'violence and dead bodies'

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GB News
Georgina Cutler

By Georgina Cutler


Published: 05/01/2024

- 11:49

Updated: 05/01/2024

- 11:51

The Tate Modern said visitors may be offended as it features 'dead bodies'

A warning has been issued for a show over "violence and dead bodies" - despite the display only showing puppets.

The Tate Modern said visitors may be offended as it features "dead bodies" as part of the show which "acts out historical events".


The film by Egyptian artist Wael Shawky "tackles notions of national, religious and artistic identity through film, performance and storytelling."

Bosses at the London event have now decided to add the warnings to its entrance of the puppet show.

Tate Modern

The Tate Modern said visitors may be offended as it features 'dead bodies' as part of the show which 'acts out historical events'

Getty

The display, named Cabaret Crusades: The Horror Show Files was created in 2010 and is on display in Tate Modern's Artist and Society section.

It features a remake of events which took place 1095-1099, in the First Crusade.

The stage has "carefully" been built by Shawky which features embroidered costumes and miniature palaces created by hand.

It has already toured New York's Museum of Modern Art.

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It tells the story of military campaigns which were started and supported by Catholic Church leaders against the Islamic rulers and inhabitants of Jerusalem.

An explainer on the Tate's website reads: "Their strings are intentionally visible throughout the video.

"This highlights the marionettes' skilled manipulation and connects with questions of power and agency in the work."

A sign outside the performance warns viewers: "Content guidance.

Wael Shawky

The film by Egyptian artist Wael Shawky 'tackles notions of national, religious and artistic identity through film, performance and storytelling'

Getty

"This film features marionettes acting out historical events.

"It depicts acts of violence and dead bodies."

A spokesperson for Tate Modern said of the latest warnings: "Like other art galleries, performance spaces and cinemas, we offer our visitors content guidance where useful, and we have done so for many years."

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