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| Phillipa Green, Stephen Simpson and Mary Somerville at the National Gallery in London |
On September 30th, three activists entered the National Gallery in London and threw the contents of a Heinz tinned soup onto Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers paintings as part of an environmental protest against the damaging effects of the oil industry on our planet. A similar incident occurred in 2022, prompting the National Gallery to ban bringing food and drinks onto the premises.
One may wonder: do these sorts of attacks effectively highlight the cause? Activists upset many people with their controversial methods, yet their intention is to convey that the nature depicted in the artworks is in danger and requires protection, along with the systemic changes that are not currently in place. They argue that they don’t cause any lasting damage to the paintings since they are protected by thick glass. However, gallery curators claim that damage to the expensive frames and walls occur with repair costs estimated between £10,000 and £20,000. While this might sound exaggerated, it underscores the fact that some work to restore the display will be required.
Industrialists and governments seem to be unmoved by the tangible effects of climate change—such as droughts, floods, and wildfires. Is it realistic to expect an oil company executive to shut down their business and suddenly begin installing wind turbines just because someone threw soup on an oil painting in a distant fine art gallery?
We often see activists as extreme, detached, and even contemptuous of societal norms. In some ways, they do highlight issues that are crucial to us all. Right cause, wrong method? One could say that. Yet, there seems to be an underlying logic: if nothing else works, maybe this will shake the public and refocus the conversation.
Although driven by noble intentions, activists often target an easy option: an art gallery that isn’t prepared for such attacks. In this context, Van Gogh's painting becomes a vulnerable victim in an unrelated battle. Is it activism or vandalism? If anyone else, without a "higher" motive, walked into a gallery and threw soup on a famous painting, they would surely not be able to walk away without consequences.
Disrespecting art, which often embodies higher ideals, seems inappropriate—regardless of the cause. While I appreciate the protestors' courage to stand up for their beliefs, I think they should reconsider their methods. Splashing a tin of soup on a painting in the National Gallery is unlikely to lead to real change in the oil industry; in fact, it may undermine environmental efforts by causing them to be taken less seriously. While protests are necessary, especially as our planet faces an uncertain future, the format of these actions requires more in-depth thought and reflection.
Agnes Prygiel
20.10.2024