The family-friendly event organised by Greenpeace will see hundreds of people in polar bear and other Arctic-themed costumes walk and cycle over Westminster Bridge and past the London Eye on their way to the Shell Centre, in protest against the oil giant’s plans to drill in the Arctic. The London parade will be the spectacular highlight of Ice Ride, a global day of action to protect the Arctic marked by mass cycling events happening in 75 cities worldwide, from Bangkok to Johannesburg, Toronto to Mexico City.
The event will happen around the time of the Arctic sea ice minimum, the moment in late summer when the ice sheet around the North Pole shrinks to its smallest size. Last year the extent of the sea ice plunged to a historic low, and this year is expected to be among the five lowest ever recorded. As the ice edge retreats, oil companies are pushing their rigs further north to extract oil and gas from areas of the ocean previously covered by frozen water.
“Oil companies see the disappearing ice as just another opportunity to drill for more of the oil and other fossil fuels which are causing the melting in the first place,” explains Greenpeace Arctic campaigner Sara Ayech. “For all those who were inspired by the six activists who climbed the Shard back in July, this is a chance to take action and tell Shell and other oil giants that we don’t want their drilling rigs anywhere near the pristine Arctic.”
Leading the Ice Ride parade past some of London’s most iconic landmarks will be Aurora, a 41-foot long and 16-foot tall polar bear puppet specially commissioned for the event as a manifestation of the movement to save the Arctic. A team of 15 puppeteers, including artists who worked on West End blockbuster War Horse, will operate the giant marionette from the inside through pulleys and ropes, giving her highly realistic movements. As well as having a bear’s characteristic curved gait, the three-tonne puppet is fully articulated and can move her head and jaws, while the fabric-covered sides billow in the wind, creating a breathing-like motion.
The puppeteers will be directed by Mark Jefferis, a master of this art form who starred in the award-winning satirical puppet show Spitting Image, and film legend Peter Elliot, who has portrayed apes and other animals in Hollywood blockbusters including Gorillas in the Mist and Congo, and choreographed the fictional beasts in the film version of Where the Wild Things Are.
The giant bear, which is made of replica and reclaimed ship parts as well as recycled materials, will be carrying in her fur the names of over 3 and half million people who have joined the global movement to protect the Arctic from industrial exploitation. Thanks to a built-in sound system, as she moves Aurora will create a polar soundscape that incorporates sounds of ice cracking, Arctic wildlife, guttural rumblings and deafening bellows, including roars ‘donated’ by both children and adults.
The giant bear also features two seats, one on each shoulder, suspended five metres above the ground, on which Greenpeace is offering two members of the public a chance to ride Aurora for part of the parade. People can enter their name in a draw by visiting www.greenpeace.org.uk/aurora. Aurora will be followed by hundreds of supporters including Arctic-inspired carnivalesque performers.
On the day three separate cycle rides starting from Victoria Park Pavilion, Alexandra Palace, and Richmond Rail Station will also converge on Westminster to feed into the main parade.
“By taking the world’s largest polar bear into the heart of London we want to bring an ‘Arctic uproar’ right to the doorstep of Arctic villain Shell and make sure our decision-makers in Westminster take notice of what’s happening to the frozen north,” commented Sara Ayech.
She added: “It’s the first time that this millions-strong global movement has taken to the streets to demand international protection for one of the most beautiful and fragile parts of our planet. We hope Aurora will inspire everyone who sees her to stand up to Shell’s reckless Arctic ambitions and join the movement to save the Arctic.”
“What happens to the Arctic does not stay in the Arctic. If we allow our addiction to dirty fossil fuel to destroy this region, we’re all going to pay the price for it. We need to get this message to oil companies like Shell before it’s too late, and show them that the world is watching,” she said.
Oil giant Shell has been at the forefront of a new Arctic ‘gold rush’ which has seen some of the world’s biggest oil companies move their rigs further north in a bid to extract oil and gas from areas of the ocean previously covered by ice. After a botched attempt to drill for oil off the coast of Alaska, Shell has shifted its ambitions to the Russian Arctic by partnering up with Gazprom, a company notorious for its chequered environmental and safety records.
ENDS
Pictures of the bear’s ‘making of’ are available.
People can sign up here to find out more about the event and enter the draw to ride Aurora: www.greenpeace.org.uk/aurora
Twitter: #Iceride
Notes to editors
The route:
The parade’s starting point will be Victoria Tower Gardens, the green space at the southern end of the Houses of Parliament. From there, the parade will head to Parliament Square and cross Westminster Bridge to then turn left towards Jubilee Garden, where it will stop right in front of Shell’s HQ on the South bank. The parade will start at about 12pm and is expected to reach the Shell Centre any time between 3 and 3:30pm.
The bear
Fashion and props designer Christopher Kelly, winner of the Dazed and Confused Fashion in Film award, has created the giant bear after taking early consultation with fashion set designer Simon Costin, who works with the likes of fashion photographer Tim Walker and fashion designer Alexander McQueen. Aurora has been manufactured by Factory Settings, whose client list includes Lady Gaga, Punchdrunk, Royal Opera House, the London 2012 closing ceremony and the opening ceremony for the Paralympics.
Contact: Stefano Gelmini, Greenpeace UK press office, 07506 512 442 or 020 7865 8213, stefano.gelmini@greenpeace.org
