Artistic language arises as a means of communication, a way to convey emotions, ideas, and values. Art has deep roots in human history. It likely emerged when men and women wanted to give meaning to the crucial moments of their existence, writes Desmond Morris in “The Artistic Ape: The Evolution of Art in Human History.” Public art, in particular, plays this crucial role for the community, as it acts as a totem, uniting people through the sharing of an aesthetic experience. It is a source of inspiration, a spiritual guide, or a landmark in a people’s history, representing an idea or concept with deep meaning for both the individual and the collective.
The activists from Last Generation who threw mashed potatoes at the glass protecting Monet’s “Les Meules,” tomato soup at the glass of Van Gogh, or attached sheets to the glass of Botticelli’s Venus, did not cause any material damage to the artworks, which were, after all, protected by thick glass. However, they recognized the power of art as a tool of communication. They honored its importance by using it as a means to express their ideas and feelings. Although they did not create art, they chose to use what is already present in the cultural fabric, showing an understanding of the very essence of art and its potential for inspiration and change.
For this reason, I find it difficult to understand those who are outraged and demand severe penalties for the members of Last Generation, guilty of causing some extra work for those cleaning the glass, but hopefully also giving something to think about to those who remain blind and deaf in the face of change induced by global warming, often because they do not accept having to give up their comforts today.
These young people seek active responses to the catastrophes caused by previous generations, who plundered nature and left them a legacy of depleted natural resources and a more difficult life prospect. Rather than being condemned outright, they should be praised for their commitment to raising important environmental and social issues. By using art as a means to raise awareness and promote positive change, they show a sensitivity to art, not the opposite, even if the narrative made of their actions suggested otherwise.
With their demonstrative actions, the Last Generation activists highlight the specific value of art, which is not only economic but specifically that of giving meaning to a moment, to an experience.
In this tumultuous and uncertain period, turning to art seems to me an act of desperation but also of love, and not an act of vandalism.
Meanwhile, the temperature in Italy is 10 degrees above the average for the period. Early May temperatures in mid-February. What will we do if it continues like this in August and gets even worse in the coming years?
