Mark Wallinger next up after David Shrigley to try to dissuade the coalition.
Contemporary artist Mark Wallinger has produced a new work of art in order to protest against the coalition government's proposed cuts to arts funding. The work depicts Joseph Turner's 1839 masterpiece, The Fighting Temeraire, part of the collection of the National Gallery. A slash in the painting reveals the words '25% cut' in black. The text underneath states that, “If 25% were slashed from arts funding the loss would be immeasurable”.
Wallinger's new work is entitled Reckless, because, as the artist himself explains, “I describe the cuts as a reckless adventure. In fact temeraire means reckless in French and by removing the obsolete ship from the scene I am rendering the painting wreckless.”
Woeful puns aside, Wallinger at least has political history – he was part of a pre-election poster campaign to try and rally support for Labour. This current project was launched on 10th September with a video piece by David Shrigley and there will be a work by a different artist released every week.
Supporters of the campaign – which has the backing of such art world heavyweights as the Chapman Brothers, Tracey Emin, Andy Goldsworthy, Richard Hamilton, Antony Gormley, Richard Wentworth and Rachel Whiteread – are encouraged to sign a petition to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Full petition details: http://www.savethearts.org.uk
Read our investigation into Funding Cuts - the impact on culture in London.
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