SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Art Changes Everything
Photo: jpellgen/cc/flickr
Chilean Artist, Activist 'Liberates' $500 Million Dollars of Student Debt -- By Burning It
Artist known as Papas Fritas took debt notes during student takeover of university, burned them to ash
May 21, 2014
An artist and activist in Chile has "freed" university students from their student debt by burning $500 million dollars in debt notes.
The action last week was the work of visual artist Francisco "Papas Fritas" Tapia, who took the debt notes during a student takeover of the University del Mar, burned them to ashes, and put them on display as an exhibit.
"Authorities began shutting down" the university "last year for financial irregularities and encouraged students to seek out alternative universities," the Santiago Times reported, but "the university is still collecting on its student loans." It is slated to close at the end of this year.
Chile has been hit since 2011 by waves of student protests that have denounced the Pinochet-era education policies that have enabled 'profiteering' and privatization at the nation's schools, and have prompted demands for education to be a public good, not a commodity.
Papas Fritas -- which means "french fries" -- released a video in which he passionately describes his burning of each note, turning them to ash and "freeing this debt."
He hoped it would help "us .... find ways to do things that free us from the fear, that free us from all the things that continually repress us in our faces, in our bodies and in our minds."
"Calmly I went one by one, burning each one of them, freeing each indebted University del Mar student from this debt."
"You don't have to pay any more, my friends... no more. Don't be afraid," he says in the video.
"I'm a person like you... I'm a person who within art finds the possibility of saying that things i have to say, or that my friends and brothers want to say..."
"It's over."
"You are free from debt. You don't have a single peso to pay."
"I'm the same as you; I'm stuck with a shitty life, living day-by-day. With a lot of love I gave this not only to the students but also to everyone who will watch this video and every person who will see the exhibition."
Last week police confiscated the ashes of the debt notes which had been on display at the Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral.
It is unclear at this time what, if any, jail time Papas Fritas faces.
Papas Fritas' video "confession" can be seen below, in Spanish:
Francisco "papasFritas" Tapia's confessionThe Chilean artist Francisco "fried chips" Tapia confesses and self-denounce as the perpetrator of the burning of debt instalment ...
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
franciscostudent debtpeople powerstudent debt reliefsantiagofreedomchiledel mar universityviña del marpapas fritas
An artist and activist in Chile has "freed" university students from their student debt by burning $500 million dollars in debt notes.
The action last week was the work of visual artist Francisco "Papas Fritas" Tapia, who took the debt notes during a student takeover of the University del Mar, burned them to ashes, and put them on display as an exhibit.
"Authorities began shutting down" the university "last year for financial irregularities and encouraged students to seek out alternative universities," the Santiago Times reported, but "the university is still collecting on its student loans." It is slated to close at the end of this year.
Chile has been hit since 2011 by waves of student protests that have denounced the Pinochet-era education policies that have enabled 'profiteering' and privatization at the nation's schools, and have prompted demands for education to be a public good, not a commodity.
Papas Fritas -- which means "french fries" -- released a video in which he passionately describes his burning of each note, turning them to ash and "freeing this debt."
He hoped it would help "us .... find ways to do things that free us from the fear, that free us from all the things that continually repress us in our faces, in our bodies and in our minds."
"Calmly I went one by one, burning each one of them, freeing each indebted University del Mar student from this debt."
"You don't have to pay any more, my friends... no more. Don't be afraid," he says in the video.
"I'm a person like you... I'm a person who within art finds the possibility of saying that things i have to say, or that my friends and brothers want to say..."
"It's over."
"You are free from debt. You don't have a single peso to pay."
"I'm the same as you; I'm stuck with a shitty life, living day-by-day. With a lot of love I gave this not only to the students but also to everyone who will watch this video and every person who will see the exhibition."
Last week police confiscated the ashes of the debt notes which had been on display at the Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral.
It is unclear at this time what, if any, jail time Papas Fritas faces.
Papas Fritas' video "confession" can be seen below, in Spanish:
Francisco "papasFritas" Tapia's confessionThe Chilean artist Francisco "fried chips" Tapia confesses and self-denounce as the perpetrator of the burning of debt instalment ...
An artist and activist in Chile has "freed" university students from their student debt by burning $500 million dollars in debt notes.
The action last week was the work of visual artist Francisco "Papas Fritas" Tapia, who took the debt notes during a student takeover of the University del Mar, burned them to ashes, and put them on display as an exhibit.
"Authorities began shutting down" the university "last year for financial irregularities and encouraged students to seek out alternative universities," the Santiago Times reported, but "the university is still collecting on its student loans." It is slated to close at the end of this year.
Chile has been hit since 2011 by waves of student protests that have denounced the Pinochet-era education policies that have enabled 'profiteering' and privatization at the nation's schools, and have prompted demands for education to be a public good, not a commodity.
Papas Fritas -- which means "french fries" -- released a video in which he passionately describes his burning of each note, turning them to ash and "freeing this debt."
He hoped it would help "us .... find ways to do things that free us from the fear, that free us from all the things that continually repress us in our faces, in our bodies and in our minds."
"Calmly I went one by one, burning each one of them, freeing each indebted University del Mar student from this debt."
"You don't have to pay any more, my friends... no more. Don't be afraid," he says in the video.
"I'm a person like you... I'm a person who within art finds the possibility of saying that things i have to say, or that my friends and brothers want to say..."
"It's over."
"You are free from debt. You don't have a single peso to pay."
"I'm the same as you; I'm stuck with a shitty life, living day-by-day. With a lot of love I gave this not only to the students but also to everyone who will watch this video and every person who will see the exhibition."
Last week police confiscated the ashes of the debt notes which had been on display at the Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral.
It is unclear at this time what, if any, jail time Papas Fritas faces.
Papas Fritas' video "confession" can be seen below, in Spanish:
Francisco "papasFritas" Tapia's confessionThe Chilean artist Francisco "fried chips" Tapia confesses and self-denounce as the perpetrator of the burning of debt instalment ...
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.