The painting Sunflowers, by Vincent Van Gogh, exhibited at the National Gallery in London, has been dyed red this Friday after two women threw two cans of Heinz tomato soup on the famous canvas.
The protesters are part of ‘Just Stop Oil,’ which has been holding climate change protests for a fortnight around Parliament and other key points in the British capital. On their Twitter account, the group has published a video of the moment of the event, accompanied by a message: “What is worth more? Art or life?”. Human creativity and brilliance are on display in this gallery, yet our heritage is being destroyed by our Government’s inability to act on the climate crisis and cost of living.”
The events occurred shortly after 11 in the morning, as explained by the gallery itself in a statement detailing the events. At that time, two women have entered room 43, where the painting is exhibited, and have thrown the liquid on the work, which luckily is protected.
Immediately afterwards, they have filled their hands with glue and have hooked them on the wall adjacent to the painting, as a way of protesting. Police have reported that both have been arrested for criminal damage and aggravated trespassing.
“There is some minor damage to the frame, but the painting is unharmed,” confirmed the National Gallery, which explained that the room was full of visitors when the events occurred.
It is not the first time that an incident of these characteristics occurs on a construction site. In the middle of the year, something similar was experienced in the Louvre, when a man threw a cake at La Gioconda. Before, Da Vinci’s painting had already survived a cup, which was thrown violently against the canvas, a red spray can and a stone.
