National Trust removes JK Rowling artwork after feminist unpicks stitching in protest, reigniting debate over gender politics, free speech, and curatorial responsibility in public art
The National Trust has removed an artwork featuring the name of JK Rowling from display at Derbyshire’s Hardwick Hall after it was “tampered with by a member of the public”, reigniting controversy around the Harry Potter author’s views on gender and free expression in public art.
The installation, titled A Virtuous Woman, was created by artist Layla Khoo in collaboration with the University of Leeds and invited visitors to nominate contemporary women they deemed “virtuous”. It was displayed from February 2024, after a period of public participation between April and November 2023. Participants were invited to stitch the names of their chosen women into a recycled textile piece that already included notable names such as Queen Elizabeth II, Margaret Thatcher, Greta Thunberg, Yoko Ono, and Taylor Swift.
Rowling’s name was included multiple times, but some entries were later “stitched over” by unnamed participants during the public contribution phase, reflecting the polarised opinions surrounding her stance on gender identity and women’s rights. The author has been criticised by some activists as transphobic—an accusation she has strongly denied—while supporters defend her as a champion of women’s rights and free speech.
The controversy reached a boiling point last week when feminist campaigner Jean Hatchet publicly claimed responsibility for removing the stitching that had been used to cover Rowling’s name. In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Hatchet said she had “corrected” the artwork by unpicking the overwriting threads using the appropriate tool and without causing any damage to the original fabric.
Speaking to Sky News, Hatchet said: “Everyone involved in managing this project behaved in a cowardly fashion after a vindictive individual performed an act of woman-hating. It should have been removed immediately. Because they wouldn’t, we did.” Following her actions, the National Trust removed the artwork from display, citing concerns over further interference and the need to preserve the integrity of the piece. In a statement, a spokesperson for the National Trust said:
“The artwork was open to contributions for eight months and closed in November when the piece was finished and put on public display. During the participation phase, JK Rowling’s name was stitched onto the piece seven times, and in two instances it was stitched over by other participants. At the time the artwork was completed and subsequently hung, Rowling’s name appeared five times without any overstitching.”
“We ask people not to damage or tamper with artworks once they are finished and on public display. The piece has been taken off display for investigation and to protect it from further tampering or damage. We take all claims and incidents of damage to items in our care seriously and investigate each one.”
Hatchet, however, disputed that her actions amounted to vandalism. She insisted that Rowling’s erasure from the work—by overwriting her name—should itself have been considered a hostile act.
The installation, titled A Virtuous Woman, was created by artist Layla Khoo in collaboration with the University of Leeds and invited visitors to nominate contemporary women they deemed “virtuous”
The controversy has sparked wider debate over artistic participation, curatorial responsibility, and the role of public institutions in navigating the cultural and political polarisation around gender identity. Some commentators argue that allowing the public to overwrite names on a collaborative artwork opened the door to precisely the kind of ideological conflict now at play.
Rowling, who has remained silent on this specific incident at the time of writing, has previously stated she supports the rights of transgender individuals but believes in the importance of sex-based protections for women. Her public statements have placed her at the centre of a broader cultural dispute over how institutions, including those in the arts, education, and government, engage with contentious issues.
The Virtuous Woman was part of a larger series of National Trust projects aimed at reinterpreting historic spaces through the lens of modern voices. Hardwick Hall, the Elizabethan estate where the artwork was displayed, has a long tradition of celebrating powerful women, including its original owner, Bess of Hardwick. Whether A Virtuous Woman will be returned to public view remains uncertain. The National Trust has not confirmed whether the piece will be reinstated once the investigation is complete.
