While I was on vacation in Europe recently, this article caught my eye: Stonehenge covered in powder paint by Just Stop Oil. Just Stop Oil and a number of other activist organizations over the past few years have staged similar protests in art museums and other historic sites. It’s time to stop and ponder a different strategy:
First, although yes, the core financial contributions to museums and cultural site comes from the wealthy, foundations, and corporations, they don’t always have the clout protesters suggest. And the common consumers of art and culture tend to be more middle class or mainstream people like me…who were probably sympathetic to the cause in some way…but now look at these activists as thugs and vandals.
And Second, despite the statement from the group that the paint is just cornflower…it seems pretty orange for cornflower to me…is it actually so? And I really doubt they did an environmental impact study on their actions, LOL! But if this isn’t cornflower, what are the hazards? Will flora and fauna be harmed? Will it leach into the groundwater? And if it is now cornflower, but a common commercial dye or pigment, it is probably a petrochemical derivative. ‘nice’!
Are they even wearing masks? Shouldn’t they be? I mean it is particulate matter and all.
You want to stop oil? Protest at the oil companies. Protest at the coal companies. Protest at government buildings. Protest at power companies. Take you plaints to the power base…art and culture aren’t your enemy and shouldn’t be used as your podium.
A drop in the bucket to the vandalism caused by fossil fuel profiters.