DOHA, Nov. 23 -- The notion of soft power is omnipresent in the public debate, especially since the opening of the World Cup in Qatar. The wealthy emirate has spent lavishly, especially in the field of culture, to expand its influence and make people forget the serious accusations tarnishing its image. This is a strategy that can be seen as 'artwashing.'

The term 'artwashing' started being used in the 2010s to denounce the links (sponsorship, patronage, etc.) that oil companies such as BP and Shell forge with major international museums. It was theorised by the British artist and activist Mel Evans in the book Artwash - Big Oil and the Arts (Pluto Press, 2015).

While the word commonly refers to a form of greenwashing transposed to the f...