Just Stop Oil activists threw soup over two van Gogh paintings at the National Gallery, London, in a protest following the imprisonment of two fellow activists for a similar act. All three protestors were arrested, but the paintings remained unharmed and will be examined before reopening the exhibition.
Environmental activists from Just Stop Oil have thrown tomato soup over two Vincent van Gogh paintings in a protest at the National Gallery, London. This incident involved the works ‘Sunflowers’ (1888) and ‘Sunflowers’ (1889). The protest comes shortly after two of their comrades, Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland, received prison sentences for a similar act in October 2022. The activists stated their actions are a form of defiance against their incarceration, highlighting that they are willing to accept legal consequences for their protest. The National Gallery confirmed that while police arrested three individuals, both paintings were unharmed and have been removed for examination, with plans to reopen the exhibition soon.
Just Stop Oil is a campaign group that protests against fossil fuel extraction and demands government action on climate change. Their tactics have included targeting famous artworks to draw attention to their cause. The previous actions involving the Van Gogh paintings have sparked significant debate about the effectiveness and ethics of using art as a platform for protest. Recently, two activists received prison sentences, prompting further protests aimed at maintaining pressure on political and corporate leaders regarding climate accountability.
The protest by Just Stop Oil, involving throwing soup on van Gogh’s paintings, highlights ongoing tensions between environmental activism and societal norms regarding art. The activists view their actions as necessary to challenge fossil fuel industries, while the legal consequences faced by their peers reflect the potential risks involved in such protests.
Original Source: www.theartnewspaper.com