La Crítica como Ritual: las Grietas de Unilever (1)

If malice and vanity wear the coat of philanthropy, shall that pass? Emerson. Self-Reliance. 1841

Unilever, el sponsor del proyecto del proyecto “Unilever Series” de la Tate tiene al parecer una serie de grietas que el arte contemporáneo mismo no puede ocultar con toda su retórica de dolor, su conciencia global, si inobjetabilidad crítica y su ineludible y dolorosamente predestinado compromiso con el Otro. Existen al perecer “unos Otros”, voces de víctimas de la competencia desleal, trabajadores explotados en EU y Brasil, niños abusados al borde de la esclavitud en la India, gente que vive bajo regímenes represivos que reciben dinero suyo, mares contaminados, pescas ilegales, animales abusados en experimentos para cosméticos y jabones que, – al contrario de esas nebulosas víctimas del racismo de la Tate que no tienen la desgracia de pertenecer a las estadísticas del mundo real, – no tienen una voz en el arte contemporaneo de la talla de Doris Salcedo que hable por ellos. Tal vez su afirmación de que el Arte no sirve para nada pero a su vez debe ser político debiera invertirse. El arte político, cuanto más crítico mejor, sirve para limpiar los pies de los gigantes corporativos. El arte, en cambio. debería tener pudor de llamarse político sin mostrar al mundo su puerta trasera.

La respuesta de Haacke-Mouffe a cual es exactamente el arte que juega a favor del capitalismo y cual no, parece perderse en el “oblivion” de los Museos, nuevos salones victorianos del opio de la Toma de Conciencia de Salón que por la que tanto luchó el inefable Joseph Beuys y que es hoy el espectáculo preferido de los herederos de Hume, Addison y Burke, los geniales teóricos del placer de lo Sublime: la clase media inglesa que baila en el cementerio como en los viejos cuentos góticos. Para eso esta el artista de ultramar: para armar su tramoya chinesca y llenar su pipa.

Carlos Salazar

Unilever in the McSpotlight

| What’s Wrong With Unilever? | Opposition & Campaigns | Company Profile |

What’s Wrong With ?

Unipath has been criticised for a free offer of multivitamins (including Vitamin A) with its pregnancy testing kits. Both the Maternal Alliance and the Centre for Pregnancy and Nutrition pointed out that, in 1990, the Department of Health advised pregnant women to avoid taking dietary supplements containing vitamin A because of the risk of birth defects.

Greenpeace have accused Unilever of ‘conning the public and stalling for time’ with regard to the issue of using genetically engineered products. Unilever ‘takes a positive view of genetic engineering’. The company does not have an overall stance on genetic engineering, but takes a country by country decision, so Unilever Germany does not currently use genetically engineered products while others do.

[The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association.] [Greenpeace, 1997]Exploiting employees

In June 1989, workers occupied the Gessy Lever plant in Sau Paulo, Brazil, seeking better pay and conditions. Although the company did eventually agree to a pay rise, 87 workers were sacked for taking action, and company management failed to recognise an elected factory committee.

[The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association.]Supporting brutal / repressive regimes

Unilever is an Anglo-Dutch company with subsidiaries in South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Uganda.

[The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association.] Environment

Lever Brother features on Greenpeace’s ‘ Murder on the Mersey‘ list of companies polluting the Mersey. According to the Registers of the UK’s National River Authority and/or the River Purification Boards of Scotland, in the year to 31/3/91, the company exceeded its discharge consent three or more times. Also, between 1/9/89 and 31/8/91 the company was convicted for water pollution offences.

[The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association.]Abusing animals

Unilever is on the PETA list of companies that test on animals. Products tested include cosmetics, toiletries, household cleaners, foods, food additives and chemicals.

Unilever owns Birds Eye, Walls, John West and other companies manufacturing meat products. In 1991 the Chairman of Birds Eye Wall’s revealed that the company annually imported 30,000 tonnes of beef from Brazil for burgers and other meat products.

[The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association.]

Credits and References: Most of the information in this section was taken from The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association, and from Corporate Watch

Opposition and Campaigns

Exploitation and profiteering do not need to exist. A better way of running our lives can be created based on the sharing of resources and on respect for each other and for nature. Increasingly people are questioning and challenging those with power and are seeking alternatives. Let’s hope it’s possible to make a difference.

Company Profile

Products and brandnames:

Unilever PLC:
Port Sunlight
Wirral
Merseyside
L62 4ZA

Phone number(s):
0151 644 8684

Fax number(s):
not known

Email address(es): postmaster@unilever.com
Web site(s): www.unilever.com
Domain name(s): unilever.com

The Beyond McDonald’s pages provide information about the unethical practices of many other companies and industries. On McSpotlight you can find out What’s Wrong With Multinationals, join the debate and get involved with campaigns.PO Box 10792. London N10 3PQ, UK.
mailto:info@mcspotlight.org