Forever Beta Hijacks Royal Academy Summer Exhibition to Demand Action for Climate Change

Independent innovation agency Forever Beta has disrupted the celebrated Royal Academy Summer Exhibition with its unique take on the renowned Edvard Munch painting ‘Scream’. 

The new piece of art which was created by Forever Beta features a giant tidal wave in place of the classic painted pier as the figure looks out in its famous frozen scream expression. It was chosen to be displayed in the exhibition and calls for people to rise up, shout out and have their voices heard for Climate Change. 

The artwork created by the agency was selected out of thousands of submissions to be hung in the summer exhibition. Climate change is a worldwide issue, and Forever Beta wanted to make a big statement, bringing together a famous piece of artwork and people. The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition provided the ideal setting with its packed gallery. They were encouraged to step outside their comfort zone and take action, by physically shouting in the gallery hall. 

CSO Nick Radley said: “Advertising has always borrowed cues from the world of art to persuade consumers to part with money to buy a product.  We decided to subvert that cycle in aid of the climate emergency by once again borrowing from the world of art to highlight the situation we are in and how people feel about it. By going against the behavioural norms of viewing an art gallery, we want to cause disruption that leads to the point of reflection.” 

In the guerilla stunt, the agency Airdropped people an image of its piece and invited them to shout out in the gallery “I demand Beta’. For every person that did a shoutout £10 was donated to The Climate Emergency Fund (an organisation which helps to finance large-scale Climate protests for groups including the Extinction Rebellion). 

With the buzz of people participating in the stunt the gallery turned into a protest for Climate Action. The artwork created by the agency sold for £2,707 and will be donated to the Climate Emergency Fund. 

Paulo Areas, chief creative officer for Forever Beta said, “When the piece was given the number 666, we thought, why not use technology creatively to be a bit evil and turn the gallery into a protest to help elevate the voices of Climate Change activists?” 

Robin Gadsby, CEO for Forever Beta said, “ Great art deserves a great response and climate change deserves more than lip service. Our aim is to encourage people to demand better for the environment. Hopefully, changing the way we behave in an art gallery will remind us to change the way we behave for the planet.”