The (silent) Scream
Crash | 23.08.2004 07:43 | Analysis | Culture | Ecology
The theft of Munch's 'The Scream' from an Olso museum yesterday left a nation - and art world - stunned. Norwegian Culture Minister Valgerd Svarstad Haugland describing the theft to the BBC as "dreadful and shocking".
The talk was of the possible permanent loss of a cultural treasure - a loss to all humanity. "We have not protected our cultural treasures adequately. We must learn the lessons", said Haugland. Museum spokeswoman Jorunn Christoffersen agreed: "It's a terrible thing to happen".
But while we're on the subject of a "loss to humanity", we might have at least spared a passing thought for the Azores bullfinch, which may go extinct at any moment, thanks to forest clearance and modern agricultural methods. Or the ivory billed woodpecker, now probably extinct. Or perhaps any number of songbirds in Northern Ireland, whose numbers have been driven so low by intensive agriculture as to be on the verge of being wiped out (a story which appeared - or rather didn't appear - on the same day as the painting theft).
Scientific estimates for the number of species being exterminated every day vary, but about 100 would be a median figure. One every fourteen minutes. No rightful outrage at the "permanent loss of cultural treasures", perhaps not even "dreadful and shocking" enough to make the headlines (after all, 100 species probably disappeared yesterday too - so hey, who wants to read old news?).
Contrast this apathy (or perhaps antipathy) with the discovery of a previously unknown bird species in the Philipines, the Calayan rail, which received worldwide press interest. Out with the old, in with the new.
Perhaps if 100 paintings were stolen every day, at least the destruction of ecosystems might be able to compete for attention with Mr. Munch.
When the extermination of a large fraction of life on earth becomes normalised, and the theft of a painting (one of four versions of "The Scream" becomes an irreplacable loss of "cultural treasures", perhaps life really is imitating art. And while the painting robbers are likely to receive hefty jail sentences, those responsible for the theft of our planet are likely to face full bonuses, commensurate share dividends and generous pensions.
"The best way to guarantee you won't be in a relationship with something is to not see it. The best way to make certain you won't see something is to destroy it. And, completing this awful circle, it is easiest to destroy something you refuse to see. This is the key to our civilization's ability to work its will on the world" - Derrick Jensen
The talk was of the possible permanent loss of a cultural treasure - a loss to all humanity. "We have not protected our cultural treasures adequately. We must learn the lessons", said Haugland. Museum spokeswoman Jorunn Christoffersen agreed: "It's a terrible thing to happen".
But while we're on the subject of a "loss to humanity", we might have at least spared a passing thought for the Azores bullfinch, which may go extinct at any moment, thanks to forest clearance and modern agricultural methods. Or the ivory billed woodpecker, now probably extinct. Or perhaps any number of songbirds in Northern Ireland, whose numbers have been driven so low by intensive agriculture as to be on the verge of being wiped out (a story which appeared - or rather didn't appear - on the same day as the painting theft).
Scientific estimates for the number of species being exterminated every day vary, but about 100 would be a median figure. One every fourteen minutes. No rightful outrage at the "permanent loss of cultural treasures", perhaps not even "dreadful and shocking" enough to make the headlines (after all, 100 species probably disappeared yesterday too - so hey, who wants to read old news?).
Contrast this apathy (or perhaps antipathy) with the discovery of a previously unknown bird species in the Philipines, the Calayan rail, which received worldwide press interest. Out with the old, in with the new.
Perhaps if 100 paintings were stolen every day, at least the destruction of ecosystems might be able to compete for attention with Mr. Munch.
When the extermination of a large fraction of life on earth becomes normalised, and the theft of a painting (one of four versions of "The Scream" becomes an irreplacable loss of "cultural treasures", perhaps life really is imitating art. And while the painting robbers are likely to receive hefty jail sentences, those responsible for the theft of our planet are likely to face full bonuses, commensurate share dividends and generous pensions.
"The best way to guarantee you won't be in a relationship with something is to not see it. The best way to make certain you won't see something is to destroy it. And, completing this awful circle, it is easiest to destroy something you refuse to see. This is the key to our civilization's ability to work its will on the world" - Derrick Jensen
Crash