Greenpeace - Making Waves: Video - 600 strip naked on glacier in global warming protest

Parental warning: Video contains nudity. (But not exactly anything that I'd call shocking.)

Greenpeace Switzerland and artist Spencer Tunick teamed up for this, ahem, unusual project. Really well done. Big thanks to all the volunteers who bared all in 10 degrees C. Full story on the Greenpeace website.

Update: For the record, I can neither confirm not deny the presence of a certain famous tech industry CEO at the shoot. ;)

So far no complaints about the nudity (however tasteful). So far none. The closest I've seen is from the Economist, which lamented that the "power of nakedness is on the wane". But I'd say the Economist spoke too soon.

This "living sculpture" was covered by hundreds of bloggers and media outlets world-wide. The message about glaciers melting gets through in the vast majority of these. And, as a happy side benefit, provided plenty opportunity for "shrinkage" jokes.

Oh, and coverage in Switzerland was also good. From Tribune de Genève:

It’s a sight to be long remembered: six hundred pink, brown and naked bodies gathered on the freezing slopes of Valais’s majestic Aletsch glacier. The volunteers, young and old, came to pose in the snow without clothes on the weekend for American photographer Spencer Tunick. The artist, who kept his clothes on himself, choreographed the affair as part of a commission for Greenpeace to highlight the impact of climate change.
In remarks to his nude subjects, Tunick noted that the glacier they were standing on would not be there in 80 years if humans continue their current activities. Scientists believe the production of greenhouse gases from sources such as the burning of fossil fuels is contributing to the warming of the planet, resulting in shrinking glaciers, among other impacts. Greenpeace is planning to use Tunick’s photographs for a campaign on the “naked truth” about climate change.

Comments

I don't know what this campaign is trying to achieve. Greenpeace's "shock and awe" strategy of the 80s and the 90s to build awareness about environmental issues just isn't relevant anymore. I think Greenpeace has long become obsolete.

Do they seriously think that people lack awareness of climate change? That it's some obscure topic that demands attention? That somehow we don't see the melting of glaciers as a threat?

I completely sympathise with individual protesters who, like many of us, are frustrated with governments lack of action. But I have serious reservations the efficacy of how Greenpeace used that to organise this nude protest. What is the point of this?

How does a picture of protesters standing in nude on a glacier appearing in our newspaper help the cause? How does it convey the urgency of the emergency? How does it help a policymaker change his mind? How does it help change the mind of a skeptic?

Sorry, Greenpeace. The emperor has no clothes. All this picture achieves is to reinforce the "crazy environmentalists" mindset. I don't think we need that.

Posted by: Manu Sharma | August 21, 2007 3:15 PM

Thanks for the perspective, but I think you're being to critical.

One artist and six hundred individual volunteers choose to make a statement. Greenpeace chose to help them, and help them get heard.

On your own blog you point out:

So, lets get this: the chief scientist to the British Government admitted in public that he was reluctant to convey the reality of the threat to the government because he was afraid of being laughed at? Incredible as it sounds this is exactly what happened.

While a lot of people have heard of climate change, the reality of it hasn't hit home for them yet.

Science can help with that. So can art.

Posted by: Andrew | August 29, 2007 5:35 PM