Oil Protestors Throw Tomato Soup On Van Gogh Oil Painting

Oil protestors have decided to leave their mark and spread awareness of their mission by throwing tomato soup on the priceless Van Gogh oil painting 'Sunflowers' before gluing themselves to the wall with industrial strength glue. The act, which is reminiscent of the Mona Lisa Creaming earlier this year, has lead to a lot of chatter online about climate protestors seeming to target expensive art in museums. Luckily, much like the Mona Lisa, 'Sunflowers' was also protected by a sheet of glass, meaning the only harm done was to the frame, not the painting itself.

Activists vandalise Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery.

The vandalism or destruction of art is always an authoritarian act.

But more than that – it represents a repudiation of civilisation and the achievements of humanity.pic.twitter.com/8gLTjekvIt

— Andrew Doyle (@andrewdoyle_com) October 14, 2022

sunflowers of Van Gogh : pic.twitter.com/ssRHu3Ijv0

— lohan (@suchavogue1) October 14, 2022

I'm struggling to understand why destroying a painting of sunflowers done by Van Gogh, an impoverished man who was marginalised in his local community due to his mental illness, is the right target to make a statement about how awful the oil industry is.

— Ellen Walker MA (RCA) (@EllenFWalker) October 14, 2022

Mad I got to see one of these events happen in person. Tin of beans thrown on Van Gogh’s sunflowers at the National Gallery in London. #juststopoil pic.twitter.com/tIV499AswH

— Ro Carey (@RonanCareless) October 14, 2022

Whether intentional or not, the act using Tomato Soup is itself ironic, as it was the vessel of choice for Andy Warhol's famous painting series on Campbell's Tomato Soup, so in a way, it's just an attempt to meld two different artists together, although unsuccessfully. This irony was not lost on those taking part in the discussion on this act, as some pointed out how it could have been a better message to flip it the other way. Much like with the Mona Lisa's attempted besmirchment a few months ago, memes and jokes began to fly immediately upon the news getting out.

Throwing sunflowers at Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans would have been a better message about the cost of nature in mass produced, consumerist industry. But what would I know? I think destroying our shared cultural heritage doesn’t make a point, it just makes you look a twat. https://t.co/2ZdbLGE8V3

— fred “RIK WORTH” ham (@RikWorth) October 14, 2022

The best argument I've seen against protesters throwing soup on Van Gogh's Sunflowers is that it opens the door to other, more dangerous protests, like throwing sunflowers on these pic.twitter.com/odLxmPnvlR

— Arjun Kaul (@ProbablyArjun) October 14, 2022

You’re protesting against oil use and throwing soup over Van Gogh’s sunflowers if you think we’re fuckin

Me: pic.twitter.com/Ch4iRCAXMp

— Rosie Blackadder (@RosieBlackadder) October 14, 2022

A second can of soup has hit Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers

— peach (@peachlux_) October 14, 2022