A floor-to-ceiling artwork at a British restaurant has been deemed “offensive” by an ethics commission. Rex Whistler painted the mural, which is about one hundred years old, when he was twenty-three years old. The fresco scenario portrays enslaved children and caricatures of Chinese people on “The Expedition in Pursuit of Rare Meats,” as the work’s title suggests. Whistler’s painting attempted to depict the vast travels that people of antiquity had to go on in order to obtain sustenance and things from strange regions of the world.

Despite depicting enslaved black children on ropes, the artwork was restored in 2013. However, the artwork was attacked in July by “White Pube” critics who complained about the mural’s out-of-date content. The criticism group has achieved international acclaim in recent years, and Vogue Magazine described them as “self-styled cowboy critics shaking up the art establishment.”

Diane Abott, a British lawmaker, proposed that the eatery be relocated owing to the contentious painting.

“I ate at Tate Britain’s Rex Whistler restaurant.” I had no idea a famous mural depicted abhorrent imagery of African slaves. The museum’s administration must relocate the eatery. Nobody should dine at a restaurant with images of black slaves.”

Activists have started an online petition to get the artwork removed permanently: “The reality of the room is truly grotesque.” Where the elderly white people may enjoy their pricey gluttony while amusing themselves by looking at a room purposely decorated with chained-up black youngsters, It sounds more like a horror film notion than what you’d expect from Britain’s greatest art institution as an elite dining experience.”

Prior to the scandal, Tate Britain described the Rex Whistler restaurant as “the most amusing room in Europe.”

Following the uproar, the gallery published a statement.

“Tate has been open and forthcoming about the deeply problematic racist imagery in Rex Whistler’s mural.” We are continuing to actively discuss how best to address the mural in the context of the Mayor of London’s recently announced public realm review, Tate’s establishment of a race equality taskforce, and the ongoing work of our Ethics Committee, and we will keep the public updated over the coming months.”