The method begins to spread. This Friday, environmental activists stuck their hands with glue on the window of “Spring”, by Botticelli, exhibited in a museum in Florence, reports The Guardian.
Two of the three activists present, members of the group “Ultima Generazione” (Last Generation) stuck their hands together while the third unrolled a banner bearing the message “Last Generation, more gas, more coal”.
According to videos quickly posted on social networks, a guard approached the two activists and took them off with a gesture from the glass – on which two traces appeared. According to the Italian news agency Ansa, three people (a man and two women) were taken away by the police. The painting is unscathed since it was protected by glass.
An action aimed at not damaging the fabric
The group also assured that it had consulted art restorers to develop an action that would not damage the painting, or even the frame. For this, they “used a glue suitable for glass”.
In a statement, the activists explained that this was only the first action in a long series targeting museums. “We are turning to the world of art to launch a vibrant appeal so that our requests are brought to the government by all the social partners”, details the group. “In the same way that we defend our artistic heritage, we must dedicate ourselves to the care and protection of the planet”.
They are far from being the first to use this method. In the UK, ‘Just Stop Oil’ activists also clung to a painting – a reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper on display in London – in early July . In France, activists stuck their hands on the asphalt of the Paris ring road in June.