On Sunday, October 12, two members from the Spanish climate group Futuro Vegetal were taken into custody after splashing biodegradable red paint onto a historic painting of Christopher Columbus at the Museo Naval in Madrid. This act coincided with Spain’s National Day, which commemorates Columbus’s arrival on the island of Guanahani in 1492.
Futuro Vegetal considers October 12 a day representing “centuries of oppression, exploitation, and genocide against the indigenous peoples of Abya Yala.” In a statement on Instagram, the group condemned the commemoration of Columbus, advocating for the cessation of the “glorification of colonization and genocides, both past and present.”
While the Museo Naval has not yet responded to inquiries from Hyperallergic, sources within the museum told El Mundo that the paint managed to seep into the cracks of the artwork’s varnished surface, damaging both the canvas and its ornate frame.
Restoration efforts are currently underway, with consultants from the Museo del Prado assisting in the process.
The activists, both women, targeted the left side of Garnelo’s “Primeros homenajes del Nuevo Mundo a Colón” (1892) around 2 PM. Museum security quickly intervened, removing them from the site before the National Police arrived to conduct questioning and arrest.
Footage of the incident captures museum visitors reprimanding the activists, urging them to “shut up” and claiming they were part of a “cult.”
A representative from Futuro Vegetal informed Hyperallergic via WhatsApp that the activists are still in police custody. Spain’s National Police have not yet confirmed their status.
This protest by Futuro Vegetal aligns with a growing trend of climate emergency actions targeting cultural institutions globally, as courts in several countries recently imposed harsh penalties, including lengthy prison sentences on demonstrators in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Italy has responded to increasing vandalism by proposing substantial fines against anyone who damages cultural heritage.
Rhea Nayyar (she/her) is a New York City reporter at Hyperallergic. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University, she is particularly passionate about amplifying minority perspectives in the art world.
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