WHERE IS ANA MENDIETA

Image description: close-up of two hands gently holding each other, both covered in red paint. Photo by Jade Jackman.

CN: murder

Carl Andre killed Ana Mendieta.

Yesterday, at the opening of the new Tate Modern building, the Whereisanamendieta collective and Sisters Uncut protested the inclusion of Carl Andre’s work and the exclusion of Ana Mendieta’s (objectively better) work. It was a protest in three simultaneous parts:

Several activists silently circled a Carl Andre piece and held out their arms painted red—both a reference to Ana Mendieta’s murder and her piece Body Tracks. They covered Andre’s art with a banner which read: CARL ANDRE KILLED ANA MENDIETA

Image descriptions: activists stand in a circle facing outward, holding hands; they are dressed in black and their hands and forearms are covered in bright red paint; their faces are defiant. Photos by Jade Jackman.

Other activists held a banner in the Tate windows facing outside asking, demanding: WHERE IS ANA MENDIETA

Image description: A large red banner reading WHERE IS ANA MENDIETA is held in the window. Photo by Ellie Bradford.

I distributed 1000 fliers in front of Andre’s work which read: CARL ANDRE KILLED ANA MENDIETA

Image description: a white person dressed in black throws many fliers which read CARL ANDRE KILLED ANA MENDIETA in front of a tall, thin piece of wood. Photo by Emily Benington.

The Tate owns both Andre’s and Mendieta’s work, but are only exhibiting Andre’s while Mendieta’s is hidden in private storage. We will not be complacent in cultural institutions willfully glorifying the work of violent white men. We will not be complacent in the exclusion of women of color. We demand the removal of Carl Andre’s work, and that Ana Mendieta’s work replace it.