Climate change activists have continued a series of art gallery protests by throwing tomato soup on one of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers paintings at London’s National Gallery on Friday.
After the activists from Just Stop Oil, a campaign group, threw the soup just after 11AM, they glued their hands to the wall.
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“What is worth more, art, or life? 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?” one of the activists shouted.
The painting is behind a pane of glass: the National Gallery confirmed to VICE World News that the painting is unharmed, but that there is minor damage to the frame. “The room was cleared of visitors and police were called. Officers are now on the scene,” a spokesperson said.
The Metropolitan Police tweeted that both protesters were arrested for criminal damage and aggravated trespass.
Ro Carey, a visitor to the gallery this morning and “big Van Gogh fan” had been admiring the painting when the two protestors appeared. “Honestly, I had a very big outburst until I remembered the painting is behind glass,” he told VICE World News over Twitter. “The work isn’t harmed all that much, and I very much support not using oil. Just scared the hell out of me.”
Just Stop Oil activists campaign to ensure that the UK government commits to ending all new licences and consents for fossil fuel production. They have joined other climate activists around the world in a number of attention-grabbing stunts at museums and galleries over the last few months.
In July, five members of Just Stop Oil glued themselves to a copy of The Last Supper at London’s Royal Academy of Arts.
Also in July, protesters from Ultima Generazione (Last Generation) in Italy glued themselves to the glass covering of Botticelli’s Primavera at Galleria Degli Uffizi in Florence.
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