BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill has taken center stage internationally, and the disaster has brought to the fore questions about the connection between cultural organizations and their sponsors. The Tate celebrated 20 years of BP sponsorship [PDF] last week, as one of many London-based institutions accepting money from big oil. The artist/activist group Liberate Tate intervened, staging an oil spill inside the party and outside, at the gallery’s entrance, as documented in the video below.
Liberate Tate made headlines, and was joined by many outspoken allies in an open letter published in the Guardian condemning BP’s sponsorship of the Tate. Among the signatories are many recognizable names, including art world luminaries, well-known artists/activists we’ve covered, or friends of Groundswell.
The organizers show no sign of slowing. We’ll continue to follow the action; regular updates are also available from Liberate Tate’s Twitter account.
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