Liberate Tate brings week-long protest to gallery

Protest group Liberate Tate is marking the 3rd anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon disaster with an artistic performance, ‘All Rise’, highlighting the controversial sponsorship of Tate by the oil giant BP. Three performers are walking around Tate Modern all week wearing specially constructed cameras, whispering sections of the transcripts of a trial which started in February in New Orleans and sees BP stand accused of gross negligence over the disaster. Video is being streamed live www.all-rise.org . Paul Brady, who performed with the project on Monday, said the oil company’s sponsorship of the arts provides BP with “the social legitimacy to continue operating with such destructive consequences.” All Rise is the latest in a series of what the group describes as ‘acts of creative disobedience’. Last year the group delivered a 16.5 metre wind turbine blade to the gallery, along with documents officially gifting it to the nation as piece of art: ‘the Gift’ was rejected by the board, who declined to accept it as part of Tate’s permanent collection.