Climate Activists Targeting Artworks in Protest
2022-11-05
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1In recent weeks, climate activists have thrown tomato soup, spread potatoes, and even attached themselves to famous paintings.
2The activists have said their actions were meant to call attention to the burning of fossil fuels and the environmental crisis worldwide.
3Last month, two activists dumped tomato soup over Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers at London's National Gallery.
4"What is worth more, art or life?" the two activists asked people in the gallery.
5"Is it worth more than food? More than justice? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?"
6Weeks later, two other climate activists spread potatoes on a glass-covered painting by French Painter Claude Monet inside a German museum.
7Another activist attached his head to the glass covering of a famous Johannes Vermeer painting, Girl with a Pearl Earring, at The Hague in Amsterdam.
8In a video widely seen online, the man who glued his head to Vermeer's painting asked,
9"How do you feel when you see something beautiful and priceless apparently being destroyed before your eyes?" He added,
10"Where is that feeling when you see the planet being destroyed?"
11The actions followed a recent incident in which activists threw cake at the Mona Lisa in the Louvre.
12Activists also glued themselves to a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper at London's Royal Academy of Arts, Sandro Botticelli's Primavera at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, and a sculpture at the Vatican.
13Alex De Koning is a spokesman for Just Stop Oil, the group responsible for throwing cans of soup at Van Gogh's painting.
14He said the group will attack paintings and art "until the government makes a meaningful statement about ending new fossil fuel assets in the UK."
15He told Euronews: "There are still people who are way more outraged about that action than the 33 million people in Pakistan being displaced by floods."
16But University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann said he worries the actions will hurt the activists' cause.
17He told the Associated Press that such actions will alienate people who are "natural allies in the climate battle."
18Some of those people, Mann said, "will draw negative associations with climate advocacy and activism from such acts."
19Dana Fisher is a social scientist at the University of Maryland.
20She said the activists seemed to have targeted paintings that have a glass cover to cause less damage.
21She told the AP: "These tactics are specifically geared toward getting media attention."
22Attacks on artwork have long gotten people's attention.
23In 1914, a supporter of women's voting rights cut The Toilet of Venus, a famous painting by Spanish artist Diego Velazquez in London's National Gallery.
24During the Vietnam War, an Iranian artist sprayed the words "Kill Lies All" on Pablo Picasso's anti-war painting Guernica at New York's Museum of Modern Art.
25The most famous painting of all, Mona Lisa, has been attacked more than any other work of art.
26People have thrown rocks, chemicals, paint and even a teacup at da Vinci's painting over the years.
27The Louvre has since put Mona Lisa behind bulletproof glass and kept visitors some distance away.
28Following the attack on Girl with a Pearl Earring, a Dutch cultural official said, "Everyone has the right to make a point. But please: leave our shared heritage alone. Attacking defenseless works of art is not the right way."
29I'm Ashley Thompson.
1In recent weeks, climate activists have thrown tomato soup, spread potatoes, and even attached themselves to famous paintings. 2The activists have said their actions were meant to call attention to the burning of fossil fuels and the environmental crisis worldwide. 3Last month, two activists dumped tomato soup over Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers at London's National Gallery. 4"What is worth more, art or life?" the two activists asked people in the gallery. "Is it worth more than food? More than justice? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?" 5Weeks later, two other climate activists spread potatoes on a glass-covered painting by French Painter Claude Monet inside a German museum. Another activist attached his head to the glass covering of a famous Johannes Vermeer painting, Girl with a Pearl Earring, at The Hague in Amsterdam. 6In a video widely seen online, the man who glued his head to Vermeer's painting asked, "How do you feel when you see something beautiful and priceless apparently being destroyed before your eyes?" He added, "Where is that feeling when you see the planet being destroyed?" 7The actions followed a recent incident in which activists threw cake at the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. Activists also glued themselves to a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper at London's Royal Academy of Arts, Sandro Botticelli's Primavera at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, and a sculpture at the Vatican. 8Alex De Koning is a spokesman for Just Stop Oil, the group responsible for throwing cans of soup at Van Gogh's painting. He said the group will attack paintings and art "until the government makes a meaningful statement about ending new fossil fuel assets in the UK." 9He told Euronews: "There are still people who are way more outraged about that action than the 33 million people in Pakistan being displaced by floods." 10But University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann said he worries the actions will hurt the activists' cause. He told the Associated Press that such actions will alienate people who are "natural allies in the climate battle." Some of those people, Mann said, "will draw negative associations with climate advocacy and activism from such acts." 11Dana Fisher is a social scientist at the University of Maryland. She said the activists seemed to have targeted paintings that have a glass cover to cause less damage. She told the AP: "These tactics are specifically geared toward getting media attention." 12Attacks on artwork have long gotten people's attention. 13In 1914, a supporter of women's voting rights cut The Toilet of Venus, a famous painting by Spanish artist Diego Velazquez in London's National Gallery. 14During the Vietnam War, an Iranian artist sprayed the words "Kill Lies All" on Pablo Picasso's anti-war painting Guernica at New York's Museum of Modern Art. 15The most famous painting of all, Mona Lisa, has been attacked more than any other work of art. People have thrown rocks, chemicals, paint and even a teacup at da Vinci's painting over the years. The Louvre has since put Mona Lisa behind bulletproof glass and kept visitors some distance away. 16Following the attack on Girl with a Pearl Earring, a Dutch cultural official said, "Everyone has the right to make a point. But please: leave our shared heritage alone. Attacking defenseless works of art is not the right way." 17I'm Ashley Thompson. 18Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English with additional reporting from The Associated Press and ArtNews. 19______________________________________________________________________ 20Words in This Story 21glue - v. to attach something by using a sticky substance 22can - n. a closed metal container that holds food or drink 23alienate - v. to cause someone to stop being friendly 24tactic - n. action that is planned to achieve a goal 25heritage - n. traditions, achievements, .. that are part of history