Just Stop Oil!
Tomato soup, mashed potatoes, glue and red glop.
In 2022, climate activists began targeting famous artworks in museums to demand urgent action on climate change. By throwing food or glueing themselves to frames, they aimed to draw attention to the damage caused by oil and gas industries. Most works were protected by glass and not permanently damaged, but the actions caused global controversy and concern within the art world.
Museums were shaken, often staying quiet to avoid further attention. While the tactics were widely debated and not condoned by everyone, they forced a conversation about value: what we protect, what we ignore, and how art relates to wider social and ecological crises.
This series responds by recreating well-known artworks in an oil-blackened, obscured setting—reflecting on visibility, fragility, and urgency in a time of climate breakdown.
SHOP Fine Art PrintsPhotography, concept, set design
Rik Versteeg
Photography Assistant
Jo van den Assem
English 
Dutch