Two climate activists were detained in Stockholm after throwing red paint on Claude Monet's painting "The Artist’s Garden at Giverny" and gluing themselves to its frame at the Swedish National Museum. The painting, protected by glass, is being assessed for damage. The museum, while condemning actions that endanger art, closed the "The Garden" exhibit temporarily, with plans to reopen it the following day.
One activist, identified as Emma Johanna Fritzdotter, explained her actions, stating, "The situation is urgent. As a nurse, I refuse to watch. The pandemic was nothing compared to the climate collapse. It’s about life or death. People won’t just die from heat stroke. New diseases will spread, and we cannot even imagine the extent of this."
Helen Wahlgren, spokesperson for the activist group Restore Wetlands, claimed responsibility, explaining that their aim was to pressure the Swedish government into reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Wahlgren emphasized the urgency of the climate crisis and the importance of restoring wetlands, which act as significant carbon sinks.
This incident is the latest in a string of similar protests targeting famous artworks. Previously, Just Stop Oil activists threw tomato soup at Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" in London's National Gallery and glued themselves to da Vinci's "The Last Supper" and Constable's "The Hay Wain" in other London museums.
