Sweden Climate Protesters Smear Monet Painting With Red Paint in Stockholm Museum

Sweden climate protesters smeared a Claude Monet painting with what appears to be red paint at the National Museum in Stockholm.

Swedish authorities detained the two protesters after they glued themselves to the 'The Artist's Garden at Giverny' painting's frame.

Sweden Climate Protesters Smear Monet Painting

As NBC News reports, climate protesters in Sweden unleashed their artistic fury at the esteemed National Museum in Stockholm. Two activists said they take their protest to a new level by smearing a priceless Monet painting with paint and glue. They threw "some kind of paint" to the artwork and glued themselves to its frame.

The 'The Artist's Garden at Giverny' painting was on display as part of an exhibition at the Swedish National Museum. The exhibit called 'The Garden' shut down for the day after the incident.

The National Museum's acting director Per Hedström says, "We naturally distance ourselves from actions where art or cultural heritage risks being damaged regardless of the purpose."

Art News points out that activists vandalized a 1900 painting by the renowned French Impressionist Monet. It features a vivid landscape filled with vibrant purple and pink irises.

The protesters donned shirts that flaunt the logo of the environmental organization, known as Återställ Våtmarker, which means "Restore Wetlands." The activist group published a video of the protest on its social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter.

Art News notes that the environmental group also claimed responsibility for the recent incident at the Stockholm Museum. The org says, "Gorgeous gardens like those in Monet's painting will soon be a distant memory."

The Restore Wetlands spokesperson Helen Wahlgren explains that the protest seeks to pressure the Swedish government, urging them to lower the greenhouse gas emissions in the country. Wahlgren warned that they will do everything to draw attention to the "climate catastrophe" and their demand for wetland restoration.

'View' Co-Hosts Slams Climate Activists

Climate Activist Painting — TOPSHOT - This photo obtained from Italian news agency Ansa on November 4, 2022 shows Climate activists from Last Generation posing by "The Sower", an 1888 painting by Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, after they threw pea soup at it on November 4, as it was on show at Rome's Palazzo Bonaparte. - Climate activists from Last Generation said the attack carried out by four individuals was "a desperate and scientifically grounded cry that cannot be understood as mere vandalism." STRINGER/ANSA/AFP via Getty Images

According to the New York Post, 'The View' co-host Joy Behar called out the recent move of climate activists, calling the stunt "annoying."

Behar says, "[it is] so annoying in a way to use art as your cudgel." She then scolded climate protesters, telling them not to use art. The co-host stresses, "Leave art alone."

Her co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin also shared her two cents on the incident, dismissing the stunt as "counterproductive." She believes that people see these protesters as "extremists " instead of focusing on the issue they want people to take seriously.

Meanwhile, Whoopi Goldberg reminded climate protesters that vandalizing art is not part of their jobs. Other climate change protesters have previously mounted a similar act of vandalism to urge governments to take environmental problems more seriously.