Channel 4 has bought a painting by Adolf Hitler for a new TV show that could see comedian Jimmy Carr destroy it with a flamethrower.
Ian Katz, Channel 4’s director of programming, revealed the program in an interview, saying that the channel has bought artwork by a number of "problematic" artists for a new show which will ask whether you can really separate art from its creator – before the audience decides which pieces to destroy.
Today, the Campaign Against Antisemitism expressed concern about Channel 4's plans, saying that using the artwork of the man who orchestrated the industrial murder of six million Jews "as a prop for an entertainment show risks disrespecting the memories of the victims". It called on Channel 4 to ensure the show is done "soberly and tastefully".
However, antisemitism campaigner and JC journalist Jonathan Sacerdoti labelled the plans "an utterly sick piece of entertainment television", adding that "to any normal, sane person, this is imbecilic."
"A desperate plea for attention"
— Jonathan Sacerdoti (@jonsac) October 13, 2022
My thoughts on Channel 4's latest pathetic comedy idea.
It's beyond parody. What a terrible, thoughtless idea. It's not a debate on artistic freedom, it's a rubbish and desperate cry of 'look at me!' pic.twitter.com/jocdfXEo0k
The show, set to be called 'Art Trouble', will also feature art by convicted child abuser Rolf Harris, sexual abuser Eric Gill, and Pablo Picasso, whose work has been criticised as misogynistic.
Katz said that if the studio audience decided against destroying Hitler's art, it would not hang in Channel 4's boardroom, but would be "appropriately" disposed of, The Guardian reports.
Explaining the show's concept, Katz said: “There are advocates for each piece of art. So you’ve got an advocate for Hitler. There’ll be someone arguing not for Hitler, but for the fact that his moral character should not decide whether or not a piece of art exists or not.”
This would not be the first controversial show aired by Channel 4, which has seen it give people drugs on TV, and also televise an autopsy. Katz said that this latest show celebrates Channel 4’s long tradition of “iconoclasm and irreverence”.
An art expert was hired to purchase the works "from reputable auction houses", despite the history of doubts over whether the art attributed to Hitler was actually created by him. Picasso's art is also "a vase of some description" rather than one of his paintings, given the show's budget.
Art by Adolf Hitler has previously sold for between $73,000 and $400,000.
Jonathan Sacerdoti, a broadcast journalist and campaigner, slammed the broadcaster's plans on LBC this morning.
He said: "I must say, this sounds like an utterly sick piece of entertainment television, and I can't really understand how this could get past any stage of development within Channel 4 or whichever company might be making it.
"I'm not particularly talking about the piece of art. I am not really a believer in burning books; I think the Nazis did that. So, I would say simply that I don't necessarily believe that we should cancel works of art or get rid of works of art because of problematic things about the artist. But certainly, when we're talking about Jimmy Carr, a flamethrower, and a piece of art by Adolf Hitler, I think we're in another territory; we're in cloud cuckoo land."
He described the show as a "desperate plea for attention".
"This is a desperate plea for attention from a channel that really has a reputation for such desperate pleas for attention. This one really crosses even over their lines. And I'll say this; Adolf Hitler isn't really renowned across the world for the quality of his artwork. The only reason we know about Adolf Hitler's artwork is because he perpetuated and carried out the Holocaust, murdering six million Jews.
"That's the only reason that Channel 4 is making this program, because Hitler is a Nazi, and they have got a comedian with a history of making jokes about the Holocaust."
A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism took a more measured view, saying that the organisation welcomes debate on the "moral and ethical issues" surrounding Adolf Hitler's art, but urged the channel to ensure the show is done "tastefully".
The spokesperson told the JC: “The Holocaust is still within living memory and must be treated with the utmost respect. Using artwork from Adolf Hitler, the murderous dictator responsible for the deaths of six millions Jewish men, women and children, as a prop for an entertainment show risks disrespecting the memories of the victims, which is something that Channel 4 would do well to bear in mind.
"While we welcome debate surrounding the moral and ethical issues surrounding the art of Adolf Hitler, it must be done soberly and tastefully.”
In a statement Channel 4 said: "Jimmy Carr Destroys Art is a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of the limits of free expression in art, and whether work by morally despicable artists still deserves to be seen. It speaks directly to the current debate around cancel culture and is in a long tradition of Channel 4 programming that seeks to engage a broad audience with the biggest and thorniest ethical and cultural questions.
"In relation to the Hitler painting; the artwork, should the audience decide, will be shredded. Not torched."
