These are some strange times in Britain. Reeling from Covid, coming to terms with the pig in a poke they bought with Brexit, the possible renewal of the Scottish referendum, the glimmer of Ireland reuniting as one country, the loss of Queen Elizabeth II, the problem with new prime minister Liz Truss and, oh yes, eco-activists throwing tomato soup on Van Gogh’s painting Sunflowers. That the activists also threw paint on the iconic Scotland Yard sign is noted, but that’s pretty normal stuff in the oddities department.
What happened was that a couple of young people, Anna Holland 20, and 21-year-old Phoebe Plummer decided to support their group Just Stop Oil by throwing two perfectly good, nutritious cans of Heinz Tomato Soup over Van Gogh’s work, (worth $85million) at London’s National Gallery. For added effect, they then rubbed superglue over their hands and glued themselves to the wall next to the painting.
The activist group is a UK based social protest platform that uses disturbances at soccer games, roadways, oil terminals and that hotspot of social elitist snobbery, national art galleries.
The website for Frieze (who describe themselves as a media and events company that comprises three publications, frieze, Frieze Masters Magazine and Frieze Week; and five international art fairs, Frieze London, Frieze LA, Frieze New York Frieze Masters and Frieze Seoul; regular talks and summits, led by frieze editors; and frieze.com - the definitive resource for contemporary art and culture) decided to interview the activists to find out what I am wondering: why go after art? The entire interview is here and it’s worth reading.
The summation of their argument is that art is considered priceless and coveted. Why don't we feel the same about Mother Earth? Why does it take some social disturbance to get the media talking when we are facing climate change?
I chuckled that they considered a Warhol because it is “so Meta” but decided on Van Gogh (which thankfully was covered with glass) because he was penniless when he died and probably today would be a Briton having to decide between heat and eating.
While I understand their tactics to some degree and even the reasoning about Van Gogh, I scratch my head.
Most art, mine included, is not priceless. Most music, mine included, is not priceless either. Most people struggle to get ends met. Most people are just as scared as Phoebe and Anna and wonder what practical steps they can take to combat climate change. Most people will not go to art galleries and if I was to wage money, most people don’t know who Vincent Van Gogh is, except for fans of Don McClean, who deserve to have tomato soup dumped on them.
That sort of work requires mobilizing votes, protesting individual politicians, corporation CEO’s and yes, civil disobedience is in there, too.
But the challenge is getting at least western society to uncouple from fossil fuels. Every person, including the protestors, need some form of fossil fuel product in their lives on a daily basis. Identifying how the people can protest is what is needed. In the form of doing such simple things as carpooling, avoiding plastics, dialing down heat.
Boycotting oil companies and local gas stations. Lobbying for safer bike lanes. Lobbying and giving support to politicians who will be brave enough to make the legislation happen to wean us away as quickly as possible. Find inventors who can show ordinary people ways to extract carbon on a local level. Support companies trying to make a dramatic, quick difference. You get the point.
Will people listen? Yes, they will. Especially when their pocketbooks are involved. Most people will choose the right thing when it is clearly pointed out to them. When they feel that everyone is pulling for a just cause. That we live in a call-to-action void is what we are facing right now.
How interesting it would be for our Congress to legislate rationing of gas-even a bit to help Europe get through this winter. How interesting it would be for Elon Musk to do what Henry Ford did and create an electric or hydrogen vehicle that could be afforded by families earning less than 40K a year. These are the people that need to be pushed and prodded. These people need protestors. Leaders who should be told to lead or get out of the way. But it is always the harder road to take. It is a less glamorous road. And the movement itself needs brave and strong leaders with practical vision to encourage that road be taken.
While the world might take notice that soup was thrown on a painting, they will quickly forget the reasoning for such action. Leave the art alone. If you want to really make a change, buy art from all the living artists today who pledge 10% to battle climate change. I’m ready and I will even make some soup