Two environmental activists have been charged with criminal damage by the United Kingdom police on Saturday, after they threw canned tomato soup on Vincent Van Gogh's painting 'Sunflowers' in London's National Gallery.
The two activists from the eco-activist organisation 'Just Stop Oil' threw a can of Heinz tomato soup on Vincent Van Gogh's popular painting titled 'Sunflowers' on Friday morning. The painting, one of five versions, was on display in the National Gallery in London. The two activists then glued themselves to the wall and addressed the room full of shocked gallery-goers.
https://twitter.com/JustStop_Oil/status/1580883249228046336
“What is worth more, art or life?” asked one of the activists, 21-year-old Phoebe Plummer, continuing, "Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?" Phoebe was joined by 20-year-old Anna Holland.
"The cost of living crisis is part of the cost of oil crisis, fuel is unaffordable to millions of cold, hungry families. They can’t even afford to heat a tin of soup," she said.
Just Stop Oil is an organisation that works to end UK government involvement in oil and gas, and has been protesting for the last two weeks in London, organising sit-ins in busy roads.
A statement from the National Gallery confirmed that the painting had been framed in glass, so the actual canvas was unharmed, adding that the frame had suffered minor damages. Just Stop Oil said they had taken into account the fact that the canvas was protected by glass.
The two activists from the eco-activist organisation 'Just Stop Oil' threw a can of Heinz tomato soup on Vincent Van Gogh's popular painting titled 'Sunflowers' on Friday morning. The painting, one of five versions, was on display in the National Gallery in London. The two activists then glued themselves to the wall and addressed the room full of shocked gallery-goers.
https://twitter.com/JustStop_Oil/status/1580883249228046336
“What is worth more, art or life?” asked one of the activists, 21-year-old Phoebe Plummer, continuing, "Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?" Phoebe was joined by 20-year-old Anna Holland.
"The cost of living crisis is part of the cost of oil crisis, fuel is unaffordable to millions of cold, hungry families. They can’t even afford to heat a tin of soup," she said.
Just Stop Oil is an organisation that works to end UK government involvement in oil and gas, and has been protesting for the last two weeks in London, organising sit-ins in busy roads.
A statement from the National Gallery confirmed that the painting had been framed in glass, so the actual canvas was unharmed, adding that the frame had suffered minor damages. Just Stop Oil said they had taken into account the fact that the canvas was protected by glass.