Three climate activists ‘performed’ two paintings by Vincent van Gogh Sunflowers (1887-1889) series at London’s National Gallery today, September 27, again in response to the jailing of two protesters who led a similar action in October 2022.
This is what a spokesperson for the National Gallery said Hyperallergic that the paintings were examined by a conservator and it was confirmed that they were unharmed. Both works of art were protected by glass, just like the original 2022 promotion.
“The police were called and three people were arrested,” the spokesperson said. “The two Sunflowers have now been put back on display and the exhibition reopened to the public just after 5.45pm.
Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland of anti-fossil fuel group Just Stop Oil, who led the 2022 protest, were sentenced to 27 and 20 months in prison respectively, after being found guilty of damages allegedly exceeding £5,000 (~$ 6,700). ). Both activists also received three years “orders for criminal behavior”, a ruling sometimes handed to individuals and which the court considers ‘antisocial’.
Hours after the pair’s conviction today, three Just Stop Oil activists threw soup on two other works from the famous series at the National Gallery, as seen in a video the group posted on X. Two of the activists involved in today’s protest are 71-year-old retired professor Ludi Simpson and 77-year-old Mary Patricia Somerville.
“Future generations will view these prisoners of conscience as being on the right side of history,” said one Just Stop Oil activist, after cries of “No, don’t do that!” of spectators.
During the original action two years ago, Plummer gave a speech addressing visitors while Holland remained silent in front of the painting.
“What is more valuable: art or life?” Plummer asked. “The cost of living is part of the cost of the oil crisis. Fuel is unaffordable for millions of cold, hungry families. They can’t even afford to heat up a can of soup.”
Just Stop Oil has urged an immediate end to fossil fuel development and production in the UK through several interventions that draw attention to climate change. The coalition was responsible for covering Stonehenge in orange powder earlier this summer, and in November 2022, two artists glued themselves to Van Gogh’s ‘Peach Trees in Bloom’ (1889). It took them three hours to free themselves from the harness.
“My choice today is to accept the punishments I receive with a smile,” Plummer told the court today, according to a statement from Just Stop Oil. “Knowing that I have found peace in doing what I can to prevent countless millions of innocent people from suffering and dying.”
Yesterday, September 26, Greenpeace UK published a open letter to ask Judge Christopher Heir to ‘refrain from punishing Plummer and Holland with custodial sentences for upholding a centuries-old tradition of appealing to our social conscience through art.’
Heir, however, remained unsympathetic to the protesters, calling Plummer and Holland’s actions “senseless, self-centered and self-serving law-breaking.” according to a statement.
“Prison sentences, no matter how long, will not deter us. We will not stop calling for an end to all fossil fuel extraction and burning,” Holland told the court.
