Yet another from activists: Mashed potatoes thrown at Monet’s ‘Les Meules’ in Germany

According to international information, on October 23, another work of art was affected by demonstrations by environmental activists, this time it was a painting by the impressionist artist Claude Monet.

Let us remember that just ten days ago the environmental group Just Stop Oil launched a tomato soup on the famous painting The sunflowers, by Vincent van Gogh, as a form of protest to stop oil projects in Great Britain. However, on this occasion, it was two activists from a German environmental group called Last Generation who damaged the work Les Meulesexhibited in the Barberini museum, in Germany, by throwing a can of mashed potatoes at it.

Like the incident with The sunflowers, the two activists involved in this event adhered to the wall of the museum with glue. Subsequently, the environmental group claimed responsibility for the events.

We make this Monet the stage and the public the audience. If it takes a painting of mashed potatoes or spilled tomato soup for society to remember that fossil fuel runoff is killing us all: Then we’ll give you mashed potatoes in a painting!

We make this #Monet the stage and the public the audience.

If it takes a painting – with #MashedPotatoes or #TomatoSoup thrown at it – to make society remember that the fossil fuel course is killing us all:

Then we’ll give you #MashedPotatoes on a painting! pic.twitter.com/HBeZL69QTZ

— Letzte Generation (@AufstandLastGen) October 23, 2022

Although the intention of the activists is to demonstrate and invite society and the government to stop the environmental damage, it is important to note that the work was not affected in any way, since, according to museum security, Les Meules Monet’s had a protective glass. However, it will be removed from display in the following days, at least until next October 26.

For her part, the director of the Barberini museum, Ortrud Westheider, issued a statement in which she said that while she understands the urgent concern of activists in the face of the climate situation, she is shocked by the means with which they are trying to give weight to your demands.

It should be remembered that this is not the first time that a Monet work of art has been damaged. In 2007, the artist’s painting The Pont d’Argenteui It was damaged by unknown assailants who entered the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France at night.

On that occasion, four men and a woman broke into the establishment after forcing a door. After a three-minute interval, they damaged the frame by making a four-inch crack, the result of an apparent punch. However, at that time it became known that everything was the product of a drunkenness and not of an environmental movement.

Perhaps these ways of attracting the attention of governments have been too extreme for those who appreciate or love art. Recently, however, another type of publicized protest involved two members of the Just Stop Oil group, who threw two chocolate cakes at a wax model of King Charles III at Madame Tussauds in London, UK, to demand that the government stop all oil and gas licenses and permits.

🎂 BREAKING: JUST STOP OIL CAKES THE KING 🎂

👑 Two supporters of Just Stop Oil have covered a Madame Tussauds waxwork model of King Charles III with chocolate cake, demanding that the Government halts all new oil and gas licenses and consents.#FreeLouis #FreeJosh #A22Network pic.twitter.com/p0DJ8v3XVB

— Just Stop Oil ⚖️💀🛢 (@JustStop_Oil) October 24, 2022