activists from artnotoil staged a musical stunt at tate britain in the morning of 1st april - this is a short film of the event
vid link: 
http://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/1211
while activists amassed in the city as part of the G20 protests, a handful of musicians made a greenwash visit to tate britain to highlight the role of BP in climate change. BP had already decided to cancel a proposed centenary celebration dinner in the city, but they were still proud sponsors of a modern art exhibition at tate britain.
while investing $150m in its corporate advertising budget to promote a green image, BP also puts out press releases to industry boasting of its commitment to grow annual output through to 2020, with last year's profits soaring by 148%, investment in canadian tar sands (the most polluting of all fossil fuels), and discussions with the iraq 'government' to claim a huge stake in oil reserves there in the aftermath of a genocidal and illegal war.
the musical protest began inside the tate at the altermodern 'squeezebox jukebox'. a huge oversized accordian installation by ruth ewan. later, on the steps of the gallery, a group of musicians performed the song 'the party is over' while security guards tried in vain to get them to leave.
later the group was seen performing at the climate camp in bishopsgate.
the mp4 format film is just over 4 minutes long, and can easily be viewed using the free vlc player from videolan.org on any computer platform
more info at the following sites:
www.artnotoil.org.uk
risingtide.org.uk
www.carbonweb.org/burning/capital
www.tarsandswatch.org
http://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/1211 while activists amassed in the city as part of the G20 protests, a handful of musicians made a greenwash visit to tate britain to highlight the role of BP in climate change. BP had already decided to cancel a proposed centenary celebration dinner in the city, but they were still proud sponsors of a modern art exhibition at tate britain.
while investing $150m in its corporate advertising budget to promote a green image, BP also puts out press releases to industry boasting of its commitment to grow annual output through to 2020, with last year's profits soaring by 148%, investment in canadian tar sands (the most polluting of all fossil fuels), and discussions with the iraq 'government' to claim a huge stake in oil reserves there in the aftermath of a genocidal and illegal war.
the musical protest began inside the tate at the altermodern 'squeezebox jukebox'. a huge oversized accordian installation by ruth ewan. later, on the steps of the gallery, a group of musicians performed the song 'the party is over' while security guards tried in vain to get them to leave.
later the group was seen performing at the climate camp in bishopsgate.
the mp4 format film is just over 4 minutes long, and can easily be viewed using the free vlc player from videolan.org on any computer platform
more info at the following sites:
www.artnotoil.org.uk
risingtide.org.uk
www.carbonweb.org/burning/capital
www.tarsandswatch.org
e-mail:
Homepage:
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That was just a taster for May 6th at the British Museum...
18.04.2009 11:24
'BP last year added 1.7 billion barrels of new oil and gas to its reserves base, a replacement ratio of 121 per cent, excluding acquisitions and divestments - the 15th successive year in which it has reported the replenishment of reserves by more than annual output.'
(
And speaking of catchy advertising slogans, how's this?
'One way out of a reputational fix is a sponsorship blitz'...
***************
ART NOT OIL REQUESTS THE PLEASURE OF YOUR COMPANY AT 'A WAKE FOR BP' AT
ITS CENTENARY PARTY, (BRITISH MUSEUM, 6-7PM, 6.5.09)
Oil goliath BP, already forced to postpone its centenary party at the
British Museum on April 1st, (also known as Fossil Fools Day[1]), has
rescheduled the event for May 6th. Art Not Oil[2], the group behind the
original demonstration against its ‘tarnished centenary’, will be throwing
‘A Wake for BP’ as guests arrive at the British Museum between 6pm and 7pm
on the new date.
As before, people wanting to come and say ‘BP – your party’s over!’ and
wish the behemoth a happy last birthday are more than welcome. The British
Museum’s main gate on Great Russell Street will find a contingent of the
newly-formed Brazen Pranksters playing tunes to usher in a new era of
climate justice and ecological sanity.
‘This really is a case of “BP100 = World Plundered”, said Art Not Oil’s Jo
Castell. ‘Throughout its history, BP has spread the curse of oil wherever
it has operated, injuring (and sometimes killing) workers, tearing
communities asunder and decimating wildlife. And that’s long before the
CO2 from burning the stuff hits the upper atmosphere and wreaks havoc with
the climate. Perhaps the most valuable lesson we could learn from the 20th
century is that the 21st century will need to see us kick the fossil fuel
habit, and pretty damn soon. Art Not Oil would prefer to be in this for
the short haul, but either way we’re determined to see BP decommissioned
as a central part of that oily cold turkey.’
Sam Chase added that ‘Any company that can boast that it's replacing “2008
oil production by 121% and aims to grow annual output through to 2020”(4)
needs to be decommissioned forthwith, if we’re to have a chance of
avoiding climate catastrophe in the not-so-distant future. Fortunately,
Art Not Oil is not alone in working for this to happen, as movements of
resistance are gathering strength all over the world.’
Notes to editors:
(1) Fossil Fools Day was big and international in 2008 and 2009:
www.fossilfoolsdayofaction.org
(2) Art Not Oil stands for 'creativity, climate justice and an end to oil
industry sponsorship of the arts', and is part of Rising Tide UK. Look out
for its nigh-on irresistible 2010 desk diary in September!
07709 545116
www.artnotoil.org.uk
www.risingtide.org.uk
(3) The Carbon Town Cryer has now posted his BP paean ‘Celebrate This!’
here: www.myspace.com/carbontowncryer
(4) What’s Right With BP?
(An edited version of this text is now available on a free Art Not Oil
postcard):
* Beyond Petroleum? 'BP replaces 2008 production by 121% & aims to grow
annual output through to 2020'; (BP press release)
* Fossil fuel-induced climate chaos hit Europe in August 2003, killing
tens of thousands of mostly older people in record-breaking temperatures.
150,000 may have died worldwide.
* In 2007, BP bought 50% of the Sunrise oil tar sands field in Canada. Tar
sands are most polluting of all the fossil fuels. ‘Fund managers attack BP
over tar sands plan’, Times, 18.4.08; www.tarsandswatch.org
* ‘Exposed: BP, its pipeline, and an environmental time-bomb’, Independent
(26.6.04) on BP’s Baku-Ceyhan oil & gas pipelines, which will produce over
150m tonnes of CO2 each year for 40 years, causing untold damage to the
world’s climate; baku.org.uk
* ‘BP doubles corporate ad budget in $150m bid for greener image’, Times,
28.12.05; BP invests 2.6% of its annual budget in solar & other renewable
energy sources, much less than it ploughs into advertising and PR like its
sponsorship of the Olympics, Tate, NPG, NHM etc.
* ‘BP and Shell have discussed with the government the prospect of
claiming a stake in Iraq's oil reserves in the aftermath of war.’
Financial Times, 11.3.03.
* ‘BP slated for 'systemic lapses', FT, 18.8.05; 15 workers were killed
and 500 injured in an explosion at BP’s Texas City refinery on March 23rd
2005.
* ‘Oil gushes into Arctic Ocean from BP pipeline’, (265,000 gallons, to be
more exact.) Independent, 21.3.06.
* ‘BP profits soar 148%’, Guardian, 28.10.08. ‘Oil giant BP today beat
analysts' forecasts as its reported a 148% surge in third-quarter profits
to top $10bn (£6.5bn), boosted by record oil prices.’
* Community-controlled, post-capitalist renewable energy is already a
reality; see for example www.escanda.org
...and by the way, Shell's no better. In fact, they're all up to no good!
-- --------
Art Not Oil: for creativity, climate justice and an end to fossil fuel
industry sponsorship of the arts. Look out for our entirely irresistible
2010 desk diary, available from September.
c/o 62 Fieldgate Street, London E1 1ES; 07709 545116
www.artnotoil.org.uk - send us your art!
www.risingtide.org.uk
See also www.climatecamp.org.uk
Noisy Joe
e-mail:
info@artnotoil.org.uk
Homepage:
http://www.artnotoil.org.uk
Words to BP paean
18.04.2009 11:42
The song in the film is called 'Celebrate This!'. An instrumental version was played on the oversized accordion inside the Tate, followed by the version you see here, albeit with some lyrics omitted by a Carbon Town Cryer in what was an all-too-regular cerebrally-challenged moment.
The song was written initially to greet BP at its centenary do at the British Museum; there's a more polished (but sadly hornless) version here: www.myspace.com/carbontowncryer.
Here are all the words:
CELEBRATE THIS!
What can you have to celebrate?
I’m just trying to get this clear
Is it to cheer the melt as it accelerates?
To toast a wounded atmosphere?
And the sanctity of your story,
Its stolen power and its suppos-ed glory
We will not glorify
We are here to defy
I’ll drink to the ailing of the oil age
Not to your Empire of Carnage
To the purveyors of theft and murder
We say celebrate this!
Our fossil fuel-free kiss
Hey BP, don’t you know your party’s over?
You’ve stolen your last four-leaf clover
Here’s to climate justice taking over
So you’re parading in bloodstained blacktie
Through your safe house the British Museum
Do you think you can hide behind its whitewashed columns?
Well dream on, BP, deep within your self-delusion, deep
…within your collusion
Hey BP, don’t you know your party’s over?
I pray for climate justice to take over
These semi-submerged blood-soaked cliffs of Dover
Forgive me for urging your come-uppance
But deep beneath your cummerbund
I think you know what you have done:
A beautifully executed hit and run (on your soul)
So, I wonder: can we rain on your centenary
And dismantle this machinery?
Over 100 years of phony greenery
Can we grow some cleaner scenery?
And celebrate this -
Our fossil fuel-free kiss
Celebrate this resistance – celebrate this!
Hey BP, don’t you know your party’s over?
You’ve stolen your last four-leaf clover
I pray for climate justice to take over
Here’s love and justice taking over…
Carbon Town Cryer
e-mail:
carbontowncryer@riseup.net
Homepage:
http://www.myspace.com/carbontowncryer