On our mini break, the school led a trip to Paris for a long weekend. I opted to stay in town and spend time with friends (some local, some from home) doing "normal" activities. My friend suggested that we visit the Tate Modern during our day of hanging out. The Tate had just opened additional materials, so the building was quite crowded. We slowly made our way all the way to the top (using only stairs) and examining the art installations as we went. I don't know much about art. Admittedly, I felt like I was probably missing something important when I looked at some of the pieces. However, there were several that spoke to me, and I was grateful that we had gone.
On our way back down, something strange and surprising unfolded. My friends went to explore an art fixture near the bottom that we had looked at when we came in. I was standing near them, but I hadn't gone along. I made eye contact with a person, and something felt out of place. The way her body was positioned or her face...or general feeling around her wasn't right. I kept looking at her, and she kept looking at nothing. I didn't notice her arms and hands at all. It would have been a clue. She is visible above--to the left of the picture with longer dark hair.
As I stood near by and looked at her, something happened. Without a word, a group of people approached the exhibit, draped a painted sheet over the top of it, and formed a circle around the outside. They said nothing. They made no eye contact. Because I am a ridiculous human, I turned to my friends and said, "Hey, is this supposed to be happening?" My friends came towards the exhibit and took it in as well. No, this was not "supposed" be happening. The sheet read, "Carl Andre killed Ana Mendieta". I had never heard of either of the people mentioned on the sheet, but I was pretty sure that these protesters would be hauled out of the exhibit in handcuffs. There was a person in a brightly colored vest that read "legal observer" who took copious notes and had numerous conversations with the security. The security didn't remove the protesters. The police never came. They stood in protest for quite awhile before chanting and jogging around the floor of the Tate (followed by security) until they reached the street.
On our way back down, something strange and surprising unfolded. My friends went to explore an art fixture near the bottom that we had looked at when we came in. I was standing near them, but I hadn't gone along. I made eye contact with a person, and something felt out of place. The way her body was positioned or her face...or general feeling around her wasn't right. I kept looking at her, and she kept looking at nothing. I didn't notice her arms and hands at all. It would have been a clue. She is visible above--to the left of the picture with longer dark hair.
As I stood near by and looked at her, something happened. Without a word, a group of people approached the exhibit, draped a painted sheet over the top of it, and formed a circle around the outside. They said nothing. They made no eye contact. Because I am a ridiculous human, I turned to my friends and said, "Hey, is this supposed to be happening?" My friends came towards the exhibit and took it in as well. No, this was not "supposed" be happening. The sheet read, "Carl Andre killed Ana Mendieta". I had never heard of either of the people mentioned on the sheet, but I was pretty sure that these protesters would be hauled out of the exhibit in handcuffs. There was a person in a brightly colored vest that read "legal observer" who took copious notes and had numerous conversations with the security. The security didn't remove the protesters. The police never came. They stood in protest for quite awhile before chanting and jogging around the floor of the Tate (followed by security) until they reached the street.
If I am being honest, I hadn't even noticed the original art display.
After leaving the Tate, I looked up the reference to discover several articles regarding the speculation surrounding Ana Mendieta's death and the subsequent feminist protests that came as a result of Carl Andre's numerous acquittals.
This is a case where the protest made more impact than the art...and the British response to protest (perhaps even more so) that was respectful and nonviolent--a civil response. Below I will include a link to a useful article regarding the Mendieta-Andre "situation".
This is a case where the protest made more impact than the art...and the British response to protest (perhaps even more so) that was respectful and nonviolent--a civil response. Below I will include a link to a useful article regarding the Mendieta-Andre "situation".