Timothy Martin, a climate activist from Declare Emergency, was found guilty of defacing a glass case protecting a sculpture by Degas at an art museum. Just Stop Oil protesters also threw soup on Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” at the National Gallery in London. Martin, who claims to be drawing attention to the climate crisis, smeared paint on the case but not the actual sculpture, believing that warming temperatures will damage life on Earth. He faces prison time and fines for the offense. Martin and other members of Declare Emergency have been linked to other attacks on cultural relics as part of their activism. The group aims to raise awareness about climate change by targeting significant artworks. The protest against Degas’ sculpture is part of a trend that began in Europe, where activists have targeted iconic works like the Mona Lisa and The Scream. While these protests can draw attention to the urgency of climate change, they also risk damaging priceless artifacts. In the past, protests targeting artworks have been used as a form of political expression, such as suffragette Mary Richardson’s attack on a Velázquez painting. Martin sees his actions as a way to alert people to the impending climate crisis, even if it means sacrificing himself for the cause.
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