“We understand the social discussion about sustainability, climate and so on. But we have no substantive position on this matter,” says Jeanette Roorda of the Drents Museum in Assen. She watches as climate action group Extinction Rebellion protests at the museum.
The climate group believes that it is not possible for the museum, which has an exemplary function, to have NAM as a sponsor. “Shell and ExxonMobil, owners of NAM, are companies that have for years raised doubts and lobbied against stricter climate policy,” is their motivation.
That is why between ten and fifteen people walk from Podium Zuidhaege in Assen to the Drents Museum. Once there, they stage a performance in which an artist from the action group brings a painting from the museum’s collection to life. On the square in front of the museum are some chairs, a table and a large cloth. That rug is defaced with ‘NAM’.
It depicts the fossil industry, says Conny Darwinkel of Extinction Rebellion. “Then the artist came and painted it green. That’s called green washing: cover it up. That’s what we’re trying to portray. On the one hand ‘pollution’ and on the other ‘green washing’. In this case as art.”
“In terms of shape, you could say that it is quite creative,” says Roorda on behalf of the Drents Museum. “Demonstrations are possible in the Netherlands, so it is completely fine. In the spring there was already a meeting between Extinction Rebellion and the management. So we are in talks.”
Watch the video about the Extinction Rebellion action at the Drents Museum here: