The British Museum removes translations of poems from its China’s Hidden Century exhibition after translator Yilin Wang accused the London institution of using her work without permission. The Vancouver writer and translator is demanding compensation, recognition and an apology from the museum.

“The British Museum takes copyright clearances seriously,” a British Museum spokesperson said. Hyperallergic. The spokesperson confirmed that the institution has been in direct contact with Wang and “will remove assets from the exhibit related to Yilin Wang as an act of good faith while we try to resolve the issue with her.”

China’s Hidden Centurywhich opened May 18 and runs until October 23, explores Chinese culture in the 1800s. One of its subjects is Qiu Jinpoet, feminist and revolutionary who was beheaded after trying to overthrow the Qing dynasty in 1907. The show featured Wang’s translations of two Jin poems, according to a Twitter Wang wire began on Sunday, June 18. Wang posted pictures of his translations inside the exhibition itselfonline in the PDF exhibition guide, and printed in the physical show catalog.

“I am not a translator working on a handful of translations of QJ’s poetry,” Wang tweeted. The writer added that she is “slowly working towards a book-length translation”. So far, Wang said she has published about 12 translations of Jin’s poems and read the revolutionary’s more than 200 poems nearly five times.

Wang also wrote that the translation takes “on average 20 to 50 hours per poem”, a process which she says includes “selection, background research, annotation, translation, revisions, and seeking commentary. “. Wang added that she also received a grant from Access Copyright to research Jin’s life and work for an additional 20 hours a week.

As the British Museum withdraws his work, Wang is demanding credit, compensation, public apologies and personal apologies from the show’s two main organizers. The translator also wants the institution to explain how her work has been incorporated into the exhibition, how the museum will prevent this from happening again, and what consequences the organizers will face.

“I don’t know what they were thinking, like I won’t find out,” Wang wrote in a response. Tweeter on Sunday. “I literally looked at their exhibit because I’m researching Qiu Jin, and then I was shocked to find my own translations looking at me.” Wang has not replied yet. Hyperallergic immediate request for comment.