Chaos erupted in Milan’s Fabbrica del Vapore art centre on Friday when a group of environmental activists threw eight kilograms of flour over Andy Warhol‘s BMW M1 Art Car in yet another display of climate change protest.
The Italian news agency Ansa reported that the group of rowdy protesters also glued themselves to the car, while others smashed paint-filled balloons on the floor.
The protesters belong to Ultima Generazione (Last Generation), a self-proclaimed “Italian civil disobedience campaign.” On its website, the group calls for the Italian government to halt the reopening of disused coal plants, cancel new natural gas extraction projects and prioritize renewable energy.
This was the third time this month that activists from the group Ultima Generazione have targeted art exhibitions.
On Nov. 4, protesters hurled pea soup over a Vincent van Gogh work in Rome. On Nov. 15, they threw a black liquid on a Gustav Klimt painting in Vienna. Both masterpieces were protected by glass screens and were unharmed.
Friday’s protesters shouted to spectators in the gallery as they emptied the bags of flour over the car.
The Fabbrica del Vapore art centre has not yet disclosed whether any damage occurred to the painted vehicle, but it was certainly covered almost entirely in flour.
Others in the room attempted to restrain the activists, though it remains unclear if they are Ultima Generazione members, art centre guests or security employed by Fabbrica del Vapore. They dragged several protesters across the flour-covered floor as they continued to shout.
A man attempts to restrain an Ultima Generazione protester after flour was poured over Andy Warhol’s BMW M1 Art Car.
Reuters
“There’s an ecological and climate collapse and no one is talking about it,” one protester said in Italian. “We have to take care of this!”
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The protester continued to shout about “joint war,” “migration” and famine and drought as a result of climate change.
