Activists from Just Stop Oil have targeted two Vincent Van Gogh masterpieces, tossing soup over them just hours after fellow members of their group received prison sentences for vandalizing the ornate frame of the renowned piece, Sunflowers.
In a post shared on X, previously known as Twitter, Just Stop Oil proclaimed: “Breaking: Two Van Gogh paintings drenched in soup just hours after Phoebe and Anna’s sentencing.”
“In a bold move, three Just Stop Oil advocates unleashed soup on Van Gogh’s artworks at the ‘Poets and Lovers’ exhibition housed in the National Gallery.”
The organization circulated a video capturing the activists in action before addressing an irate crowd, stating: “Individuals are serving time for demanding an end to new oil and gas initiatives, a stance that has now become a governmental policy, spurred by continual disruptions, a cascade of media coverage, and the ensuing political pressure.”
The National Gallery confirmed that the trio had been apprehended and assured that the paintings remained unscathed. The gallery commented: “Shortly after 2:30 PM today, three individuals entered Room 6 of the National Gallery’s Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers exhibition.”
“They appeared to have thrown a soup-like substance over two pieces—Sunflowers (1888, National Gallery, London) and Sunflowers (1889, Philadelphia Museum of Art). The authorities were alerted, leading to the arrest of the trio. The artworks were promptly removed for a careful examination by a conservator and, thankfully, were found unharmed.”
“We are working diligently to reopen the exhibition at the earliest opportunity.”
Previously, Phoebe Plummer, aged 23, and Anna Holland, aged 22, were sentenced for their October 2022 act of throwing cans of Heinz tomato soup on the Sunflowers piece and subsequently gluing themselves to the wall beneath it, which resulted in criminal damage charges.
Gallery staff evaluated the painting and its frame for potential damage while the duo remained affixed to the wall, fearing the soup may have infiltrated the protective glass.
The soup on its own inflicted up to £10,000 (€12,000) in damage to the frame, prosecutors asserted, but due to a protective screen, the artwork itself emerged unscathed and was back on display later that day.
Despite their insistence on innocence, both defendants were found guilty during a trial at London’s Southwark Crown Court, leading to Plummer receiving a two-year prison sentence for her role in the damage.
Holland received a shorter, 20-month sentence. Judge Christopher Hehir emphasized, “You were on the brink of irreparably damaging or potentially destroying this painting, which is likely priceless in a literal sense.” He voiced concerns that “soup might have seeped through the glass,” adding, “You exhibited a blatant disregard for the potential harm to the painting.”
He reprimanded Plummer, stating, “You seem to believe that your convictions entitle you to perpetrate unlawful acts at your convenience. They do not.”
In addition to the prison sentence for her previous actions, Plummer received a further three-month term for her involvement in a slow march causing severe traffic disruptions in West London in November 2023.
Defending Holland, Raj Chada asserted that they had checked whether the painting was shielded by glass prior to their soup-throwing act.
With a touch of defiance, Plummer, representing herself, responded at the hearing: “Today, I choose to accept whatever sentence I receive with a grin. This isn’t just about me or my co-accused facing judgment; it’s about the foundations of our democracy being on trial.”
Van Gogh crafted his masterpiece in Arles, southern France, in August 1888, depicting a vivid arrangement of 15 sunflowers in a yellow pot set against a complementary yellow backdrop. This iconic artwork marked the second occasion in which Just Stop Oil singled out a National Gallery piece for protest; earlier, two activists had glued themselves to John Constable’s The Hay Wain in July of that same year.
In front of the Sunflowers piece in 2022, Plummer ruminated on the value of art versus life: “What holds greater value—art or existence? Is it more precious than food or justice? Are you more worried about preserving a painting than safeguarding our planet and its people? The crisis of living is intrinsically tied to the crisis of oil.”
Just five days post her verdict in July, Plummer faced arrest again for vandalizing departure boards at Heathrow Airport with spray paint.
A group of Just Stop Oil supporters gathered outside the courtroom, some waving banners adorned with images of historical figures who faced imprisonment for their activism.
Additional coverage by Reuters.
Edited by: Ali Musa
Axadle international–Monitoring
