Climate activists have the painting on Friday sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh smeared with tomato soup in the National Gallery (1888) in London. They campaigned against fossil fuel companies that they say have made “daily life” unaffordable.
“Millions of families can’t even heat up a can of soup,” shouted one of the activists, adding rhetorically: “Are you more concerned about protecting a painting, or protecting our planet and people?”
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The duo glued themselves to the wall of the painting after the action. Police arrived shortly after the incident to free the activists and arrest them. The museum says in a statement that the painting is protected with a glass plate. According to a spokesperson, there is minor damage to the frame, but the canvas itself has remained undamaged.
sunflowers is one of Van Gogh’s best-known works. He made the artwork in Arles in southern France. According to the painter himself, the flowers expressed “gratitude.” The artist made several iterations, one of which hangs in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
The two protesters who sunflowers defaced, represent the Just Stop Oil action group. These climate activists have held several protests in the British capital in recent weeks. The group wants to prevent the British cabinet from issuing permits for new oil and gas projects.
More time-tested method
Just Stop Oil activists have campaigned more often in museums. They also took advantage of other work by Vincent van Gogh: they rather stuck to it Flowering peach tree (1888) at the Courtauld Gallery in London. The landscapes he illustrated are now subject to climate threats, according to the demonstrators.
Sticking to paintings is a more tried and tested method of climate activists. This has happened in several European cities in recent months. In June, protesters threw a cake on the canvas of the Mona Lisa. That work was also behind glass and therefore remained undamaged.