A UK jury has convicted tw activists who covered a Picasso and caused damage at the National Portrait Gallery 2 years ago.
In October 2024, two activists – Jai Halai (25) and Monday-Malaichi Rosenfeld (23) – entered the National Portrait Gallery in London. There, they first placed a large image over the 1901 painting Motherhood by Picasso. The photograph, which depicted a Gazan mother and child, was placed against the glass protective covering over the painting. The activists then proceeded to spray a water-based paint on the floor and shouted slogans. They were soon apprehended by the museum security and removed from the premises.
The two activists belonged to the group Youth Demand. The group had made two major demands from the British government; the first was to end all economic ties with Israel, and the second was to stop giving new licenses for fossil fuel generation. The demands came shortly after the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, after which the country started a war with Palestine. While the two are convicted by the jury, the sentence won’t be announced until September. Both of them are currently out on bail.
Also Read: Massive Mural, Covered By Pinochet, Undergoing Restoration In Chile
It must be noted that the Picasso work itself, which was supposed to be the centre-stage of their protest, was not damaged. However, the paint sprayed on the floor and the surroundings did cause some damage. Michael Willie, head of security at the gallery, said during his testimony that the paint was sprayed on rope barriers and marble skirting, and was seeping into the sockets. The gallery has to replace the marble mastic joint entirely. Overall, the National Portrait Gallery said that it cost them $10,600 just to be able to open normally the next day.
