Sculptor Anish Kapoor Creates Unauthorized Art Installation on North Sea Oil Platform

Renowned sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor CBE has collaborated with Greenpeace UK to execute a daring and potentially illegal modern art installation on a platform in the North Sea. This groundbreaking piece marks the first time a work of “fine art” conceived by a prominent figure in the modern art world has been unveiled on an offshore oil and gas structure, according to Greenpeace.

Known for his iconic public installations such as “The Bean” in Chicago and the “Orbit” tower in London, Kapoor’s expertise in stainless steel and structural art made the selection of a steel offshore platform a fitting choice for his latest creation. The artwork made its debut on the Skiff wellhead platform, located at the Brigantine gas field cluster in the North Sea, approximately 60 nautical miles northeast of Bacton, Norfolk.

Despite lacking authorization from the platform’s owner, Shell, Greenpeace UK orchestrated a bold operation involving a climb team, a large canvas, and a 40-foot-tall aluminum tubing frame at the Skiff site. In favorable summer weather conditions, the team assembled the frame, stretched the canvas across it, and applied approximately 250 gallons of food-based nontoxic dye using a high-pressure hose, as showcased in a video.

The artwork, titled “Butchered,” serves as a powerful activist statement addressing carbon emissions and the oil and gas industry. Kapoor’s accompanying artist’s statement offers a critical perspective on the environmental impact of these sectors.

While Shell refrained from commenting on the artwork’s message or aesthetics, the company emphasized the safety hazards and potential legal implications of the installation process. In a statement to The Guardian, Shell highlighted the dangers posed by Greenpeace’s actions, including trespassing into a restricted safety zone established by UK law.