Climate Activists Have Glued Their Hands to a Picasso in Australia

Melbourne's National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has become the setting for a stunt that is fast becoming an infamous part of a climate change activist's arsenal: glueing hands to a bonafide masterpiece. In this case: Picasso’s Massacre in Korea.

On Sunday, two members of Extinction Rebellion – a global climate movement that often uses disruptive protesting – were found stuck to the Spanish painter’s artwork at around 12:40p.m. According to a statement from police, the 49-year-old woman from New South Wales and 59-year-old man from Footscray, were later removed sometime after 2pm.

The painting itself is the depiction of a group of naked women and children being “massacred” by firing squad, and an embodiment of Picasso’s own anti-war stance.

“We're highlighting, specifically, the dimension of war and famine that comes along with the climate crisis. I think it's overlooked,” Mark Conroy, a spokesperson for the Extinction Rebellion told VICE. 

“Mass migrations can drive conflict, and drive starvation. And linking that to the Massacre in Korea painting of Picasso's, which is a very stark depiction of war and degradation. We're hoping to draw those links.”

Other visitors to the gallery took to social media, posting iterations of the event on their timelines. In one piece of footage, a sign reading “Climate Chaos = War And Famine” can be seen sitting at the protestor’s feet while a security guard ushers other guests away.

Though the protesters aimed to cause a disruption, Conroy says that their intention was to never actually damage the painting.

“We're not looking to destroy priceless artwork,” he said.

“So that’s why that painting was selected. For its content, and also because it had the perspex shield.”

According to police, the duo were released without charge.

“The police and the gallery are determining the extent of the damage and whether there's a case for criminal damage. They'll receive a court summons if that is the case,” said Conroy.

The stunt comes on Day 2 of what the Extinction Rebellion has dubbed their “Spring Rebellion”; what Convoy says will be 2 weeks of disruptions across the state of Victoria.

“Rebellion is the only way for us to effectively get our message across and communicate the urgency for change. And so we don't relish failure. But yes, we can certainly expect disruption to be happening all around Victoria. Not just Melbourne, over the next two weeks.”

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