Last month, a tomato soup caught the world’s attention when it was thrown onto the canvas of one of history’s most famous paintings Sunflowers by painter Vincent Van Gogh.
Since then, the painting, undamaged by a pane of glass, has become the greatest symbol of a recurring protest, with museums becoming battlefields and artworks the targets of environmental activist attacks. .
The main name behind these acts is the British collective Just Stop Oil, or Stop Oil in Portuguese.
Formed earlier this year, the group organized actions attacking paintings such as Sunflowers, The Haycart by John Constable, a recreation of Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer on the frames of a series of works by Francisco de Goya in the Prado Museum in Madrid.
Last week, two men involved in these actions were sentenced to two months in prison in the Netherlands.
In a bid to stem the protests, which are spreading across the world and being echoed by other environmental groups, UK government officials have drafted legislation that would increase penalties for activists who cause civil unrest.
Although most of the files did not damage the works, which are normally protected by glass, the painting The Hay Cart, which is in the collection of the National Gallery in London, had to be restored in July.
Just Stop Oil spokesman, environmentalist James Harvey, says the collective’s goal is to draw attention to issues related to the environment, particularly those related to emissions of gases and oil. The attempt is to pressure governments around the world to urgently implement public policies that prevent the exploitation of fossil fuels.
In an interview conducted via video conference, the activist commented on the negative reputation the collective has gained and the impact of his protests, which he believes should increase in the coming months.
According to James Harvey, if Van Gogh were alive, he would support the attack on the work himself.
What do the activists of the group Just Stop Oil want? We demand that governments suspend new oil and gas licenses. We know there are enough resources to switch to renewable energy. We have eight years of supply, so this transition must and can happen as soon as possible.
Why attack artworks to achieve these goals? We have tried everything. We write petitions, talk to politicians, march, hold up placards. Nothing worked. We urgently need to stop petroleum gas emissions.
This year was the hottest in Britain. For the first time we had temperatures of 40 degrees. People are dying in Africa. In Pakistan, the population has been driven from their homes. All because of the climate crisis.
But to combat this scenario, attacking works is effective Art?Yes, we were invited to several interviews because of this. This allows us to show people how the climate crisis is directly related to the threat to their lives.
Isn’t that disrespectful to the artists behind the works?Van Gogh would be willing to take direct action for the environment. He was a little rebel. If I saw the state of the world today, I would probably agree that action is needed.
None of the factories we attacked were actually destroyed. The idea is just to draw attention. We appreciate art.
Many people say these protests are stupid. How do you see this criticism?We have a lot of people playing with us. There are doctors, nurses, students, retirees, teachers. Our group has a wide range of society.
There may be those who see these actions as silly, but still they get media attention.
Nonviolent protests have been the last option at various times in history. In Britain, women obtained the right to vote through suffragettes. In the United States, the struggle for civil rights led by Martin Luther King relied on nonviolent direct action. In India there was Mahatma Gandhi with the independence movement. The antiapartheid struggle in South Africa.
Direct action brings change. But you have to remember that all these people were hated for what they did. The same is happening to us now.
They may even call us stupid, but there is historical precedent that shows the effectiveness of this direct action.
In a world where many people are dying of hunger, food waste is a serious problem. Still, some of the Just Stop Oil protests use food. Wouldn’t that be hypocrisy?Many people call us hypocrites and say that clothes, food, cars and many things we consume come from using oil and gas.
But in this system we are all hypocrites. It’s impossible to live any other life than that. Of course we would like to be able to live in a more sustainable, fairer and just world, but at the moment we have no other choice.
It might even feel strange for us to use food in protests, but the message we want to convey gets across.
With so much negative criticism of the protests, don’t you take more people away from the environmental struggle than they bring you closer?Not. People may even hate Just Stop Oil, but the fight for the environment is increasingly being discussed.
There are many people who say we are harming the cause, but many people understand the seriousness of the situation and agree on the need for these direct actions.
What do you think is most important in this sense? Moderate actions that are ignored, or extreme protests that manage to attract attention even though they may be counterproductive to the company’s goals Plot?Honestly both. They can have more, say, moderate acts, like signing petitions. They don’t bother anyone, but they are ignored. At the same time, more radical measures are also needed because it is the people on the streets that create this tension. In a way, both activisms complement each other.
What does Just Stop Oil do in the environmental fight besides attacking works of art?In October there were blockades in London and Westminster to pressure the government to issue a statement suspending new oil and gas licences. We stopped traffic until the police arrived and arrested people. We have also carried out actions in oil refineries and prevented the operation of ships, tanks and plants.
Actions that attack works of art are actually small. They have only gained a lot of power through the media.
We have given the UK Government a deadline to issue a statement suspending new oil and gas exploration projects. If they don’t answer us, we will continue the campaign of civil disobedience and resistance.
We simply want a chance for a more sustainable and fairer life in the future.
How do you rate the environmental issue in Brazil and the election result in the country?I was very excited to see Lula elected President. It’s a relief to the world. We hope to help protect the Amazon. We depend on them.
I’m not an expert on Brazil, but I know that Bolsonaro’s policies have not been good for the environment and for indigenous peoples. It enabled logging and forest destruction, which affects us all.
So are you hopeful about the future of the Amazon?Yes, the change of government in Brazil gives me hope. The United States had Donald Trump and now they have Joe Biden, which is better. We hope Lula too.
Perhaps people see the urgency of having smarter leaders. There is still a long way to go to a healthy planet. We need optimism and realism. We have a tough fight ahead of us.
XRAY | JAMES HARVEY, 47
He is a project manager, environmental activist, cyclist and spokesperson for Just Stop Oil, a group formed this year to pressure governments around the world to suspend new licenses for gas, oil and fossil fuel exploration. The collective has made headlines by organizing a series of protests in museums and attacking famous works of art.