Two supporters of the climate activist group “Letzte Generation” (“Last generation”) threw mashed potatoes this Sunday against a painting by Claude Monet, from the series “Les meules” (“The haystacks”) exhibited at the Barberini Museum in Potsdam, near Berlin.
In a statement released by the activist group, they point out that with their action “they pose to society the same question that two brave young women asked in the National Gallery in London with tomato soup a week ago: What is worth more, art or life?”.
“More and more people refuse to accept in silence the progressive destruction and endangerment of human life on our planet,” say the activists.
The painting was not damaged during the action, “quite the opposite of the immeasurable suffering that floods, storms and droughts already bring us today as a harbinger of impending catastrophe,” they add.
The museum’s spokeswoman, Carolin Stranz, confirmed in statements to the regional chain RBB that two activists had thrown mashed potatoes at the Monet painting and that the painting had not been affected.
For his part, a police spokesman said that the two activists then stuck to a wall in the exhibition hall, although they were “detached” and temporarily detained.
An investigation has been opened for damage to property and trespassing.
The painting, protected by glass, dates from 1890 and passed to the Hasso Plattner collection of the Barberini Museum in 2019 after being acquired for 110.7 million dollars at a Sotheby’s auction.
“My heart stopped when I found out about the action,” said the museum’s spokeswoman, who specified that it is the most expensive Monet painting ever sold.
The room was closed and an expert is examining the artwork for possible damage.
Information and photo credits: EFE
