Climate activists have managed to smuggle two cans of Heinz tomato soup into the National Gallery in London. They poured the red liquid over Vincent van Gogh’s (1853-1890) masterpiece entitled “Sunflowers”.
The two young activists are part of the Just Stop Oil campaign. They are committed to ensuring that Britain no longer uses oil and gas, but instead relies on alternative energy sources. The artwork of the Dutch artist is worth almost 42 million francs.
After smearing the artwork, they exclaimed, “Which is worth more, art or life? Are you more concerned about protecting a painting or protecting our planet?” The women were then taken away by museum security guards. The photo remains undamaged, only the frame is slightly damaged, the National Gallery reports.
A similar move caused a stir in May. A man smeared cake on the Mona Lisa in the Louvre in Paris. The artwork of the painter Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was not damaged because it is protected by Plexiglas. (jwg)