The King’s tribute to David Hockney this week marks more than a cultural milestone. It is a reminder that the West’s soft power projection often lags behind its hard security posture. Hockney’s depictions of a peaceful, gay paradise at a time when homosexuality was a criminal act represent a significant strategic pivot: from societal repression to state-sanctioned expression.
Yet, this narrative risks blinding us to emerging threat vectors. Hostile actors are adept at exploiting societal divisions. While we celebrate Hockney’s artistic defiance, we must also harden our cyber defences.
The Kremlin has long weaponised cultural dissonance. A nation that fails to secure its digital infrastructure while basking in cultural victories is a target waiting to be compromised.
