Three individuals have been charged following an incident at the National Gallery, where soup was thrown at two Van Gogh paintings. Stephen Simpson, 61, from Bradford, West Yorkshire; Phillipa Green, 24, of Penryn, Cornwall; along with Mary Somerville, 77, also of Bradford, are scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, as stated by the Metropolitan Police. This event occurred in the wake of other activists from Just Stop Oil being imprisoned for damaging another Van Gogh artwork. The group later tweeted under a new name, revealing the act: “BREAKING: 2 VAN GOGH PAINTINGS SOUPED HOURS AFTER PHOEBE AND ANNA SENTENCED.” The tweet identified the perpetrators as “3 Just Stop Oil supporters” who targeted two Van Gogh paintings in the ‘Poets and Lovers’ exhibition at the National Gallery. Despite the disturbance, the National Gallery confirmed that the artworks remained undamaged.
The National Gallery made an official statement regarding the incident, reporting that at around 2:30 pm, three individuals entered room six of the Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers exhibition and threw a soup-like substance over two works – Sunflowers (1888, National Gallery, London) and Sunflowers (1889, Philadelphia Museum of Art. Authorities were promptly alerted, leading to the arrest of the perpetrators. Fortunately, after examination by conservators, the renowned paintings were found to be unharmed. The National Gallery aims to reopen the exhibition at the earliest opportunity. In related news, Phoebe Plummer, 23, and Anna Holland, 22, received jail sentences after causing up to £10,000 worth of damage to an artwork at the National Gallery in London.
The Metropolitan Police identified Stephen Simpson, Phillipa Green, and Mary Somerville as the suspects, all set to face charges in court. The incident marks another case of vandalism targeting valuable artworks, prompting concerns over the security and protection of cultural treasures in public spaces. Efforts are being made to maintain the integrity of these artworks and ensure their continued display for the public to appreciate. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding artistic heritage and enforcing measures to prevent such acts of vandalism in the future, preserving artistic and cultural legacy for generations to come.