The Palaces of Memory

The article reports that Israeli and US airstrikes on Isfahan, Iran, damaged several centuries-old palaces and cultural buildings. It draws a parallel to the destruction of cultural heritage in Gaza, suggesting this may be a targeted strategy to erase cultural identity and history, which are seen as threats to occupying forces.

This matters because the destruction of cultural heritage is framed as a weapon of war aimed at dismantling a population's collective memory and identity. The article also critiques the art world's complicity, highlighting the opening of Art Basel Qatar in a country that criminalizes LGBTQ+ individuals, arguing that celebrating such regimes comes at the expense of human rights and freedom.