Thom Yorke of Radiohead has enlisted the support of 2,000 people to help him fight climate change through art on Saturday November 27. The organization 350.org launched a global art project called 350 EARTH where people around the world will create large scale art (large like, visible from space!) installations showing the effects of climate change and how we can fight it.
Yorke is heading up the work in Brighton, England where he wants to create an image of King Cnut, who tried to command the ocean, but failed. According to Wikipedia the King's response to this was, "Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws."
Yorke will be asking the 2,000 people he's recruited to wear black and they will "be" the image. An image of King Cnut can be seen to the left, (he also landed the cover of Yorke's 2006 solo LP "Eraser.")
Here's what Yorke told 350 on his choice of art:
"Our Leaders and much of the lobby groups for oil and energy companies are arriving in Cancun at the end of the month, still under the illusion that we can carry on burning energy to feed a global financial model that now no longer represents the needs of the rest of us and the dire situation we face. They are still labouring under the assumption that they can turn the tide of mother nature. The future of the planet and all living creatures is secondary to their own system of belief. They hide behind meaningless procedure. False science and smear campaigns are paid for and quoted to undermine the overwhelming evidence of global warming. Enough of this. There is no more time."
Yorke reached out to his fans looking for volunteers via Radiohead's blog Dead Air Space. Considering the band's popularity, I don't think he'll have much trouble finding support. You can sign up here to help out with the Brighton project, or look for something closer to home here.