Just Stop Oil Activists have targeted the National Gallery’s Van Gogh ‘Poets and Lovers’ exhibition with another vandalistic climate protest. In an extraordinary ramping up of their campaign, the activists targeted two iconic Vincent van Gogh paintings, dowsing them with tomato soup. The National Gallery’s Sun Flowers was again attacked as well as another version of the same subject belonging to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The protest, part of the group’s demand for the UK government to stop all new oil and gas projects, unfolded in front of stunned onlookers.
Sound like a Déjà vu ? The attack follows the jailing today of JSO activist Phoebe Plummer, 23, who received a two-year prison term. At the same time, Anna Holland, 22, was given a 20-month sentence over another incident involving the same Sunflower painting at the gallery in October 2022. Passing sentence today at Southwark crown court, the judge, Christopher Hehir, told them: “You two simply had no right to do what you did to Sunflowers, and your arrogance in thinking otherwise deserves the strongest condemnation. “The pair of you came within the thickness of a pane of glass of irreparably damaging or even destroying this priceless treasure, and that must be reflected in the sentences I pass.”
Today, three activists threw what appeared to be tomato soup onto two protected glass-covered paintings. They then shouted a message to be on the “Right side of history.” The painting itself was untouched because its covering protected it, but the frame may have suffered minor damage. Gallery staff acted swiftly, and the activists were arrested shortly afterwards by police officers.
This audacious protest is the latest in a series of high-profile demonstrations by the group Just Stop Oil. Members have disrupted public events and targeted landmarks to make their point about the climate crisis. While some praised the group’s urgency, others felt outraged, citing that targeting cultural heritage was counterproductive.
The National Gallery released the following statement: “This afternoon, just after 2:30 p.m., three people entered Room 6 of the National Gallery: Van Gogh: Poets and LoversLovers exhibition. They appeared to throw a soup-like substance over two works—’Sunflowers’ (1888, National Gallery, London) and ‘Sunflowers’ (1889, Philadelphia Museum of Art). Police were called, and three people were arrested. The paintings were removed from display and examined by a conservator. The paintings were removed from display, examined by a Conservator, and confirmed to be unharmed. Fortunately, we were able to reopen the exhibition again soon after.”
Artlyst’s contributing editor, Sara Faith, was in the gallery just after the incident. She photographed the doors barricaded by National Gallery staff. The exhibition has been reopened. Sara Faith said, The gallery has offered us replacement tickets but we will need to rebook. The National Gallery apologised and said, “We are sorry that your visit to the exhibition was disrupted. We will be in touch over the coming days about your tickets.”
Sunflowers by Van Gogh is one of the most loved paintings in the world, so it immediately becomes a powerful symbol for the message they are trying to send. But the protest has sparked fierce debate about whether such extreme measures are justified in the fight for climate action.
Top Photo: Sara Faith © Artlyst 2024. Photo shows the gallery closed off after the incident.