Tate Britain permanently closes Rex Whistler restaurant over racist mural

Following discussions around the racist mural on the walls of Tate Britain’s Rex Whistler restaurant, the London gallery has announced the space will not reopen as a restaurant.

Rex Whistler was commissioned to create the panoramic mural for the Tate’s restaurant in 1927. It tells the story of an imagined hunting trip through different countries and epochs in search of rare food and drink. Within the sequence of scenes, the mural features imagery of a Black child being kidnapped from his mother and enslaved, and caricatures of Chinese figures.

A contemporary artist will be invited to create a new installation in the room, which will reopen to visitors as a display space next winter.

The offensive nature of the mural’s imagery has been discussed over the years and was previously addressed in signage at the entrance to the room. In 2020, Tate’s directors and trustees agreed that the room should no longer be used as a restaurant and that a new approach was needed.

The gallery held a series of discussions last year with artists, art historians and cultural advisors to explore options. The discussions, co-chaired by Alex Farquharson, director of Tate Britain, also incorporated feedback from visitors and colleagues, all of which informed the decision.

The former restaurant is one of several retail, catering and event spaces across Tate’s galleries that have been closed since the start of the pandemic. Tate Eats, part of Tate’s commercial division, is looking to develop new dining offerings in other spaces at Tate Britain as and when this becomes viable.

Farquharson said: “The Rex Whistler mural presents a unique challenge. It has remained static on the walls of a restaurant for almost a century while the museum around it has constantly shifted. Tate Britain is now a place of everchanging displays and commissions, where the past and present are juxtaposed, and where art is open to all. The mural is part of our institutional and cultural history and we must take responsibility for it, but this new approach will also enable us to reflect the values and commitments we hold today and to bring new voices and ideas to the fore.”

Photo: Tate Photography