Just Stop Oil Drops Orange Paint at Oslo's Vigeland Sculptures

On Friday, two Norwegian activists from Just Stop Oil (Stopp Oljetinga) were arrested after throwing orange paint at the "Monolith", a sculpture in Oslo's Vigeland Park.

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They were protesting against the disappointing results of the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), which will conclude today in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

"COP 27 was a dream that ended in great disappointment, even more so in a year in which Norway will dole out an additional 53 oil exploration licenses. The governments of the world are leading us to social collapse," Stopp Oljetinga said.

The "Monolith" is a 17-meter-high work containing 121 nude and intertwined human figures sculpted by Gustav Vigeland. Just Stop Oil explained that these works of art will not be damaged because the paint can be easily removed.

The tweet reads, "Aruanu, 26, and Rachel, 20, citizens supporting Last Renovation, threw orange paint on Charles Ray's 'Horse and Rider' statue at the Paris Bourse de Commerce."

Last week, other Norwegian climate activists tried to latch onto "The Scream," a painting by Edvard Munch that is exhibited in the National Museum in Oslo.

In recent months, environmental defenders have carried out similar symbolic actions around the world to demand an end to oil extraction and its harmful effects on the global climate.

Recent protests related to famous paintings include Monet's 'Les Meules' (Germany), Van Gogh's 'Sunflowers'  (England), and Picasso's 'Massacre in Korea' (Australia).