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It’s long ceased to be playful, but it certainly has an effect: daub a building, artwork, or car to draw attention to what you find important. In recent weeks, we’ve seen climate activists foodbomb expensive paintings to draw attention to their cause. The umbrella organization Museum Association calls the actions unacceptable in a conversation with NU.nl.
By Hasna ElbaamranicEarlier this month, climate activists threw tomato soup on a painting by Vincent van Gogh at the National Gallery in London. A week later, in the German city of Potsdam, a work of art by Claude Monet worth almost 100 million euros was defaced with mashed potatoes. Even then, climate activists were responsible for the action.
The precious paintings suffered no damage. In both cases, the precious works of art were hung behind glass. They are now on display in the museum.
On Monday, she was hit again: the wax figure of King Charles in London’s Madame Tussauds was targeted by two activists. They pointed a cake at the fake face of the British monarch. The extent of the damage is not yet known, but part of the museum has been temporarily closed.
“It can be cleaning the image, washing hair and clothes,” says marketing manager Annemiek Dolfin of Madame Tussauds Amsterdam. In this case, the London museum employees would be ready in no time. But it can also get much more complicated. “If the wax is damaged, an image must be discolored and reconstructed.”
The actions of activists are wrong
Director Olaf Zimmermann of the German Culture Council previously told the AP the actions were reckless. “The risk of damage is extremely high. While works of art are part of our cultural heritage and must be protected, just like the climate.
The museum association, which has more than 450 members, is calling on NU.nl to condemn the actions of the activists. “Climate and a sustainable future is an urgent topic for museums and the museum association. Museums are doing a lot to improve sustainability and also organize exhibitions on climate change. In my opinion, museums and climate activists climate are on the same side,” says director Vera Carasso of the Museums Association.
“At the same time, we denounce actions that soil works of art. Our main task is precisely to preserve these works, so we find this unacceptable. We understand that this is an action that hurts, but which then directs against the one you must reach.”
No reason to panic yet
This is not the first time that such actions have taken place: this summer, activists stuck to various works. This also included works by Picasso and Botticelli.
A spokesperson for the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, where Botticelli’s painting hangs, said art diary that it took twenty minutes to remove the glue residue from the glass surrounding the painting. “Without the glass protection, the work would have been badly damaged.”
The Amsterdam branch of the Madame Tussauds wax museum has the necessary experience in dealing with damage to statues. “We receive around 800,000 visitors each year, and damage often has to be dealt with,” says Dolfin. “Damage can be caused unconsciously, for example by walking past a statue with a bag. But sometimes you also have to deal with vandalism.”
UK activist group Just Stop Oil – responsible for daubing the painting of Van Gogh and the wax figure of King Charles – has announced it will continue its campaign until the government stops oil and gas drilling. In a press release, the activists explain that they have chosen museums as the venue for their demonstrations because they “love history and culture too much to see it collapse (because of climate change, editor’s note)”. Activists say they were aware of the glass protection museums use and did not aim to damage the artwork.
The actions of climate activists are no reason for Madame Tussauds in the Netherlands to increase security measures. “Our museum is taking all necessary measures to protect our images and our audience.”
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