Many climate change activists have been asking the question, “life or art?”. Around the world, activists have been defacing famous art with food (Jerry Saltz).
On October 14th, two activists, Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland, defaced van Goph’s famous “Sunflower” painting by splashing tomato soup over it. They were arrested and charged with criminal damage and aggravated trespass (USA Today).
As shown in USA Today, these attacks were frequent and targeted some of the most appreciated artworks. These include the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo de Vinci, “The Scream” by Edvard Munch, and many more. Attacks have been centered in Europe, Canada, and Australia. (Borresen, Petras).
Many activists wanted to gain attention from the media in ways they had never reached. They believed that climate change was not as publicized as it should be. As the cameras and news reporters arrived, the activists were seen wearing shirts that said: “Just Stop Oil.” (Borresen, Petras)
The social ideology relating to art has been seen throughout history. Many people have been taught to respect the culture, and the act of defacing it with tomato soup evokes controversy. These actions seem to bring new coverage than past protests, such as gluing oneself to oil factories.
Even though these art pieces are protected by glass and decorative frames, art museum staff mention that activists severely underestimate the fragility of the timeless pieces (Borresen, Petras). The idea of these activists is not to actually destroy the art but rather to bring new coverage. If they were actually to destroy the “Mona Lisa”, it would be hard to side with them. The activist would be seen as the enemy.
The paintings have been chosen on purpose. Each of the painters has been commended for their ability and has been stated as staples for art history. If the activists were to pick other art pieces, the response might have been different. If they were to choose other pieces, the message would not have been clear: to “stop oil” (USA Today).
This protest is one of many as climate change activists continue the movement. From using reusable water bottles to attending protests, there are many ways to support the fight against climate change.
Works Cited
Petras, George, and Jennifer Borresen. “From Mona Lisa to the Scream: Climate Activists Protest by Defacing Art.” Www.usatoday.com, 30 Nov. 2022, www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/11/30/climate-activists-attack-paintings-mona-lisa-scream/10699588002/.
Saltz, Jerry. “Mashed Potatoes Meet Monet Climate Activists Have Been Celebrated for Defacing Great Paintings. Why?” Curbed, 6 Dec. 2022, www.curbed.com/2022/12/climate-change-activists-fine-art-vandalism.html.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect nor represent the Earth Chronicles and its editorial board.
