The exhibition is not only about Greenland. It's also about how Europe deals with habits and traditions from other cultures and how we relate to these problems.
It seems that it is a foregone conclusion that eating seal should be prohibited. But seals are not more piteous than pigs, cows and chickens. In September 2009 the regulation 1007/2009 of the European Parliament was made: a ban against trade of products of seal. The regulation starts with:
Seals are sentient animals that can experience pain, distress, fear and other forms of suffering.
Mediamatic definitely doesn't deny that. But what about the millions of animals that are dying and are being 'processed' in the bio-industry of Europe every day? Greenlandic hunters select adult animals and kill them using guns. So no clubbing of little baby seals.
We can't plead ignorance, only indifference, thus Jonathan Safran Foer, author of the essay 'a modest proposal for tossing Fido in the oven' and the book 'Eating Animals' (2009).
Seal meat
The EU allows only members of official proviant clubs in Denmark to enjoy traditionally caught seal meat.
Warning: Bardot is not a real proviant klub. If you are interested, then you, like some of our colleagues, should become a member of a proviant klub in Århus, Aalborg, Odense or Copenhagen.
The following video is on view in the exhibition. In ‘Wash’ by Anya van Lit a Greenlander gives his opinion about Brigitte Bardot:
‘Wash’ by Anya van Lit on Vimeo.
Opening hours and membership
Bardot Proviant Klub is opened on January the 16th 2010 until February the 28th 2010 at Mediamatic BANK, Vijzelstraat 68 in Amsterdam. Opening hours Mon - Fri from 1pm - 7pm, and Sat + Sun from 1pm till 6pm.
Everyone can visit the exhibition. At the door you become a member of Bardot Proviant Klub (5 euros) and you will receive a catalogue (84 p. full colour)
Exhibition Team
Anne Baan Hofman, Joost Bottema, Martin Butler, Eline Ermens, Thomas van Lier, Anya van Lit, Lucy Luxton, Mhairi Macfarlane, Katja Novitskova, Jans Possel, Sara Rajaei, Liene Rubane, Willem Velthoven, Machiel Veltkamp, Marco Wessel
Thank you
Mads Norlund, Greenland Tourism and Business Council, Ole Jørgen Hammeken / Uummannaq Polar Institute, and Arctic Peoples Alert
The videos ‘Cook’ and ‘RAP’ by Anya van Lit are on view in the exhibition: