Liberate Tate, United Kingdom
The Exorcism of BP, 2011
A guest performance by Reverend Billy and the Church of Earthajulah. In this photograph the Reverend is seen trying to exorcize BP (British Petroleum) out of the Tate museum. The oil that is drenching his white suit is a metaphor to show the impurity of the actions of oil companies. The artist's message behind this metaphor is to show how oil sponsorships from impure oil companies taint the purity of art culture. The purpose of using an exorcism in their performance is to depict BP as a demon that is infesting and controlling the actions of museums, such as Tate. Through this performance the artists prove the point that if oil companies sponsor art museums, their ethics of operation need to be taken into consideration. Label by Olivia Falb