An artist in the south of France says he’s planning to destroy up to $45 million worth of art, including pieces by Rembrandt, Picasso, and Andy Warhol, if WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange dies in prison. “In our catastrophic time — when we have so many wars — to destroy art is much more taboo than to destroy the life of a person,” Andrei Molodkin, who is originally from Russia but now lives in France, told Sky News. He intends to use a ‘Dead Man’s Switch’ (pictured above) to dissolve the works in acid. “Since Julian Assange has been in prison… freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of information has started to be more and more repressed. I have this feeling very strongly now.”
Throughout history, fine art masterpieces housed in the world’s most prestigious museums and galleries have not only been admired but, regrettably, also targeted by vandals, protestors, and criminals. In 1987, Leonardo’s Virgin and Child with St Anne was blasted by a sawn-off shotgun. This phenomenon is not new; it spans centuries, affecting everything from ancient sculptures to modern paintings. The motivations behind such attacks are as varied as the artworks themselves, ranging from political protest to mental health issues, and from the desire to make a statement to sheer acts of vandalism.
One of the most famous incidents of art vandalism occurred in 1914 when the Suffragette Mary Richardson attacked Diego Velázquez’s “Rokeby Venus” in London’s National Gallery as a protest against the arrest of Emmeline Pankhurst, a prominent Suffragette leader. Richardson’s act was a protest, using the destruction of art to draw attention to a political cause. Similarly, in recent years, climate activists have targeted artworks in museums across Europe to protest against fossil fuel usage and climate change, suggesting that their acts are symbolic gestures intended to provoke public discussion about urgent environmental issues.
Art has also been targeted by individuals suffering from mental health issues or driven by personal motivations. For instance, Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” was damaged by a man claiming the painting was a fake. In another instance, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” has been attacked several times, including being pelted with a rock and sprayed with red paint, reflecting not just the fame of the artwork but also the varied motivations of the attackers. More recently, environmental protestors attacked Sunflowers with tomato soup. The Just Stop Oil activists said “What is worth more, art, or life?”
Criminals have targeted art for theft, often damaging works in the process. The theft of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” in 1994 and again in 2004 highlights how criminal acts can also lead to the physical harm of artworks, motivated by the potential financial gain from selling such famous pieces on the black market.
The targeting of art by vandals, protestors, and criminals underscores the complex relationship society has with its cultural artifacts. Art is often seen as a symbol of the values and history of a society, making it a powerful tool for making statements or demands. The destruction or defacement of art can be a form of communication, a way to challenge or critique those values. However, it also raises questions about the balance between freedom of expression and the preservation of cultural heritage. As society continues to evolve, the protection of art from such attacks remains a critical challenge, reflecting the ongoing debate about the role of art in society and the limits of protest and expression. The question remains as to the efficacy of targeting art to make a political statement and what of its loss to the world.
Further reading
Could 16 art works save Julian Assange life? The Art Newspaper 14 February 2024
Andrei Molodkin Holds Art Hostage for Julian Assange’s Life The Collector 15 February 2024
Art Attack: Defaced artworks… The Guardian 8 October 2012
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