As a gay man who was active in ACT UP in the 1980s, I am particularly sympathetic to these sort of actions. I remember the outrage when in December of 1989, ACT UP made history with a massive protest at St. Patrick's Cathedral. 5000 people protested the Roman Catholic Archdiocese's public stand against AIDS education and condom distribution, and its opposition to a women's right to abortion by having a "Die In", lying prone in the aisles and in the asp of the church. It certainly got the world's attention.
I don’t condone criminal damage but I am on board with the urgent need to address the climate emergency. How you bring it to people’s attention without spectacle I don’t know. I thought the young women who were involved in the Van Gogh incident in London were thoughtful and eloquent in their explanations of what they chose to do and why. I also wrote about this on my substack last week. Damaging art in political protest has a long and interesting history.
Victoria, thank you so much for turning us on to your work.
I wholeheartedly agree with you about the urgent need to address climate change, the eloquence of the activists' statements, and the importance of direct action. My only point of contention is that I wish the activists would target places/industries/corporations that are directly responsible for the climate collapse. I wonder if there is a way to accomplish that with the same level of spectacle, spotlight, and urgency.
I’ve just seen this message. Thanks for the big-up, that’s made my day! Those climate protestors at Just Stop Oil are doing targeting precisely those you indicate as well as art galleries. They are going across the board.
As a gay man who was active in ACT UP in the 1980s, I am particularly sympathetic to these sort of actions. I remember the outrage when in December of 1989, ACT UP made history with a massive protest at St. Patrick's Cathedral. 5000 people protested the Roman Catholic Archdiocese's public stand against AIDS education and condom distribution, and its opposition to a women's right to abortion by having a "Die In", lying prone in the aisles and in the asp of the church. It certainly got the world's attention.
ACT UP is a perfect example. A bastion of modern-day direct action and civil disobedience that had a profound effect on society.
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I don’t condone criminal damage but I am on board with the urgent need to address the climate emergency. How you bring it to people’s attention without spectacle I don’t know. I thought the young women who were involved in the Van Gogh incident in London were thoughtful and eloquent in their explanations of what they chose to do and why. I also wrote about this on my substack last week. Damaging art in political protest has a long and interesting history.
To anyone reading this, please read Victoria's wonderful article on this subject (or listen to her read it to you in the most mellifluous voice of all time): https://www.thegallerycompanion.com/p/soup-cans-sunflowers-and-suffragettes
Victoria, thank you so much for turning us on to your work.
I wholeheartedly agree with you about the urgent need to address climate change, the eloquence of the activists' statements, and the importance of direct action. My only point of contention is that I wish the activists would target places/industries/corporations that are directly responsible for the climate collapse. I wonder if there is a way to accomplish that with the same level of spectacle, spotlight, and urgency.
I’ve just seen this message. Thanks for the big-up, that’s made my day! Those climate protestors at Just Stop Oil are doing targeting precisely those you indicate as well as art galleries. They are going across the board.
Interesting interview with a rep from JSO on The Art Newspaper podcast last week:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-week-in-art/id1280469178?i=1000583352390
I just finished listening to this. Thank you for the recommendation.