Artist dumps 29 tonnes of carrots outside university to send a message
The mound of carrots dumped outside a London university. Photo: PA/AAP
An artist has dumped nearly 30 tonnes of carrots outside a UK university campus as part of an art installation.
Spanish-Welsh man Rafael Perez Evans says his Grounding piece was “installed” after a large orange truck dumped the vegetables outside Goldsmiths College – part of the University of London on Tuesday.
Perez Evans said the carrots were unwanted and not deemed good enough for supermarket shelves and will be used to feed animals.
Many students and passers-by have climbed up the pile of carrots to take photos. Some even pocketed a cheeky few to take home to eat.
Eden Groualle, a 20-year-old student, told the PA news agency after seeing the work: “I thought it was very bizarre, but knew this is very Goldsmiths and all that was left was to understand what it meant.”
Josie Power of Eden Groualle next to an art installation of 29 tonnes of carrots. Photo: PA/AAP
Perez Evans’ website says the artwork explores “the tensions in visibility between the rural and the city”, and was inspired by European farmers dumping produce as a form of protest.
“The therapeutic technique of grounding involves doing activities that ‘ground’ or electrically reconnect you to the earth,” he added.
His unconventional installation is part of Goldsmiths’ MFA degree show.
Despite being rejected by supermarkets, many students told media they felt uncomfortable that so much edible food was being dumped on the floor for the sake of art.
“Even though the carrots are being donated to farm animals at the end of the piece, it’s still slightly problematic given the poverty, food shortages and homelessness in Lewisham,” said Lester Langford.
Josie Power, originally from Norwich, studies performance, politics and society and said she felt conflicted by the “surreal” artwork.
“It was something so fun and bizarre to go and see … but also it’s hard not to acknowledge the glaring problems with food wastage,” the 20-year-old said.
“However, this food was likely to be wasted anyway … so by using them for this project people are suddenly thinking about food wastage and the amount that doesn’t make it to supermarkets to be sold.”
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