Potsdam, October 23.10.2022, 14, 00:XNUMX p.m – In the early afternoon, two supporters of the Last Generation caused an uproar at the Barberini Museum in Potsdam. They paused in front of Monet's “Les Meules” and with heavy hearts but determinedly threw mashed potatoes onto the art treasure. In doing so, they are asking society the same question as two courageous young women with tomato soup in the National Gallery in London a week ago: What is worth more, art or life? More and more people are refusing to silently accept the progressive destruction and endangerment of human life on our planet.
The painting was not damaged during the action. In complete contrast to the immeasurable suffering that floods, storms and droughts are already bringing upon us today as harbingers of the impending catastrophe.
Photo: Marlene Charlotte Limburg
Mirjam Herrmann (25) held one fiery speech in front of the painting, which she had just thrown mashed potatoes at: “People are starving, people are freezing, people are dying. We are in climate catastrophe. And all you're afraid of is tomato soup or mashed potatoes on a painting. Do you know what I'm afraid of?"
Aimee van Baalen, spokesperson for Last Generation, classifies the action on the painting, which sold for almost $111 million: “Monet loved nature and captured its unique and fragile beauty in his works. How can it be that so many are more afraid of one of these images of reality being damaged than of the destruction of our world itself, whose magic Monet so admired?
We must not lose ourselves in the idyll on the screen, but must face reality! There will be no time to admire art if we fight over food and water!"
In the meantime, not only scientific data but even a quick look at the daily news make it clear: we are running out of time. China is currently suffering from the worst heat wave in history. In Nigeria, 1,3 million people have lost their homes and over 600 their lives due to severe flooding in recent months.
The government must finally take the first long-overdue safety measures in order to be able to limit the extent of the disaster. Their inaction raises the question of whether they still have the situation under control - and is driving more and more determined people onto the streets.
Through peaceful civil resistance, they protect themselves against everything that we are in danger of irrevocably losing. Security, peace, democracy and, last but not least, art.
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