LONDON — On Oct. 14, 2022, Anna Holland and Phoebe Plummer walked into London’s National Gallery art museum, passing under the imposing portico that crouches at the head of Trafalgar Square. They were carrying two cans of Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup, superglue and bread, which they had no intention of eating.
They walked through the groups of late-season tourists, through halls filled with works by history’s most revered painters. Eventually, they arrived in room 43, which held Vincent van Gogh’s 1888 “Sunflowers,” the Dutch artist’s painting of a vase of yellow blossoms. The work is an icon so valuable it has no price. It was shortly to be the target of one of the most famous — or infamous — climate protests of all time.
The pair paused. A group of school children wearing high-vis vests sat in front of the painting, drawing it. Nerves shot through Holland and Plummer. This was not in the plan. There were journalists planted in the room. There was a press release schedule. The tension and fear of getting caught was rising. But neither wanted to ruin the school trip, nor risk getting soup on any of the students.
Plummer and Holland pretended to look at the paintings as five minutes passed. Then 10.
