Climate activists attack Van Gogh’s Sunflowers with soup
Two people have attempted to destroy an iconic Van Gogh artwork in London’s National Gallery in the name of climate activism.
The two perpetrators, who are members of the organisation Just Stop Oil, threw cans of tomato soup at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers (1888), the museum confirmed in a statement.
Luckily, the painting was saved by the glass covering, with the frame only suffering minor damage.
Immediately after throwing the soup, the activists glued themselves to the wall under the painting in an act that was filmed and shared on Twitter by the Guardian‘s environmental correspondent Damien Gayle.
“What is worth more, art or life?” declared one protester. “Is it worth more than food? Worth more than justice? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?”
“What is worth more, art or life? … are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?”@JustStop_Oil’s activists explain their action pic.twitter.com/mGNZIO6RbK
— Damien Gayle (@damiengayle) October 14, 2022
“The cost of living crisis is part of the cost of the oil crisis,” they continued. “Fuel is unaffordable to millions of cold, hungry families. They can’t even afford to heat a tin of soup.”
After the incident, gallery staff cleared visitors from the room and called police to the scene.
The two activists were then arrested.
The attack on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers is the recent statement made by climate activists, who have drawn in a flood of attention by targeting artworks around the world.
Image credits: Getty Images