Climate activists have glued their hands to the frames of two paintings by Francisco Goya in Madrid’s Prado Museum, the latest in a series of protests involving famous artworks.
Protestors from Spanish environmental campaign group Futuro Vegetal also wrote “+1,5°C” on the wall between the works of art.
“Last week, the UN recognized the impossibility of keeping us below the limit of 1.5 Celsius (set in the 2016 Paris Agreement). We need change now,” Futuro Vegetal wrote on Twitter alongside a video of the demonstration.
“We condemn the act of protest that has taken place in the museum. The works have not been damaged although the frames have slight damage,” the Prado Museum said in a tweet.
“We are working to get back to normal as soon as possible. We reject endangering cultural heritage as a means of protest.”
The incident at the Prado Museum is the latest in a string of protests by climate activists. In October, tomato soup was thrown over Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ at London’s National Gallery.
Italian environmental protesters also threw pea soup over Van Gogh’s ‘The Sower’ in Rome, and demonstrators attempted to glue themselves to Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague.
All of these works of art were covered. The demonstrations increased ahead of the COP27 climate change summit, which has started in Egypt.
The Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) released a statement on 3 November in response to the recent protests.
“This association has always been clear that attacks on works of art cannot be justified, whether the motivations are political, religious, or cultural,” said the AAMD.
“Art crosses boundaries of time and place to underscore the creativity that people everywhere have expressed, and they represent our shared humanity.”
The statement added: “Attacking art for any purpose undermines those common bonds. Such protests are misdirected, and the ends do not justify the means.”
Image: Prado Museum
