I want to start by saying this: I believe in climate change. I believe that we, not just as a country or community, as a species have a lot of work to do. NASA has stated that “the current warming is happening at a rate not seen in the past 10,000 years.” Protests have been carried out, research has been conducted, movements have been formed, and yet we still do not have a clear direction as to how our species can help save our planet. If human activity is the principal cause (NASA), it is a change in human activity that will determine the future of our planet.
On Oct. 19, Rebecca Zorach covered a protest that involved two Just Stop Oil climate activists that threw a can of Heinz tomato soup on Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” painting that is displayed at the National Gallery in London. The activists then glued their hands to the wall surrounding the painting and urged others to draw attention to their demand that the UK government call a halt to new oil and gas projects. Zorach revealed a clear perspective that the young activists did what they had to in order to inspire change. She goes onto to say that Van Gogh himself would be horrified of what humans have done to the world, and that the real target of the action was “our complacency”.
In terms of the protest itself, I do not agree with nearly destroying a piece of priceless artwork. I think the idea was there; that we admire, focus on, and monetarily support artifacts/piece of history while turning a blind eye to the future of our planet. However, destroying something cherished by millions and that has very little to do if not nothing to do with the subject at protest is not necessary. There is a number of alternative places to set foot in, or throw a can of soup on, to get a point across. On another note, I believe that the protest could have been carried out in a different setting while still agreeing with the author in that although it may have been dramatic, it is what the world is talking about. It gained attention, and reminded everyone how dangerous not recognizing climate change is, and that was exactly the goal of the Just Stop Oil activists.
When it comes to the article, I do agree with the majority of Zorach’s points. When touching on public emotion, a quote was shared by Emma Brown that states, “the outrage and anxiety that people feel when something precious is seen to be under threat.” I both resonate with this quote, and agree that the public emotion surrounding the painting should be what humans feel toward the Earth itself. Human activity has threatened something precious, the Earth itself! Yet, the news and social media is filled with someone throwing soup at a painting. Even now, a couple weeks out from the protest, nothing new has been said or circulated surrounding how we can fight climate change.
Zorach says, “What else should we expect?… Young people are fighting for their own future.” This speaks volumes. Again, I stand by the argument that the protest could have been carried out on something other than famous artwork, but ultimately these activists also did what they thought they needed to do to help secure their own future. Thousands of Gen-Zs and Gen-Xs have shared the feeling that they will not have children due to not wanting to raise a child in the conditions of what the world will look like in 20 years, let alone have their child grow up on a planet that will not have the resources that allow humans to live a healthy life. Conservation International shows the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere, as of July 2021, is the highest it has been in human history. If I were asked if I wanted to raise a child in an environment where the air they breathed was toxic, my answer would be no.
All and all, I don’t think Vincent Van Gogh had anything to do with climate change, and his painting “Sunflowers” is not the culprit of global warming. I do not think the two needed to be punished for the living’s ignorance and harm to the planet. However, I do think that protesting and bringing light to changes that need to be made is a good thing. Until we can move into sustainable habits from the governments end, there is a fight to be had.
Learn more about Just Stop Oil’s protests and climate change.
