Protester who glued himself to Picasso painting clashes with The Project’s Steve Price
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Hot moment Steve Price asks climate protester who glued himself to a $280 million Picasso painting, a question that leaves him stunned
- Climate activist who clung to Picasso’s work rejects claim he is a vandal
- He says the planned protest would never damage $280 million worth of artwork
- In a fiery clash with Steve Price, he rejected claims that his protest was futile
- Tony Gleeson told The Project there would be more ‘disruptive’ events
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Host of The Project Steve Price left a climate protester sticking his hand to a Picasso masterpiece and struggling for an answer when he asked why he didn’t cling to a power plant.
In a heated clash in Monday’s episode, environmentalist Tony Gleeson defended his controversial demonstration at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne on Sunday.
He and another woman from the Extinction Rebellion group sealed their hands on Pablo Picasso’s Massacre in Korea, a painting on loan from a Paris gallery and valued at $280 million.
Protest organizers say the strange protest was made to raise awareness about the dangers of climate change, but Price says the group’s logic is flawed.
“Why not stick your dumb hand to a power station instead of a painting in a gallery if that painting is worth that much money?” Price said.
In a heated clash in Monday’s episode, environmentalist Tony Gleeson defended his controversial demonstration at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne on Sunday (pictured)
Mr. Gleeson insisted that he would never damage the painting as it was behind perplexed.
“We knew in advance that the painting was covered and it was carefully planned, we knew it was covered and we knew there was no chance it would be damaged,” Mr Gleeson said.
“You can frame that however you want, and you will. It’s your job to be so provocative, but I’m not going to wear it.’
Price said he was “just honest” in his criticism of the protester.
“I think I speak on behalf of the majority of people who don’t want vandals to glue on a Picasso perplexed.”
“They’d rather if you want to protest, go somewhere else.”
Mr Gleeson said his radical group would do just that for the next two weeks.
“Yeah, great,” was Price’s heavily sarcastic reply.
Steve Price of the project (pictured) said Mr Gleeson’s protest was “stupid” and not appreciated by most of the Australian public
Gleeson was arrested on Sunday along with two other protesters for their stunt at the National Gallery of Victoria
Gleeson, a 59-year-old grandfather of five, then tried to turn the tables.
“Steve, do you have children, grandchildren. Are you concerned?’ he asked the conservative TV and radio host.
“We had an election about this Tony,” Price retorted.
‘Trying to pretend that no one notices climate change? For God’s sake, the government has gone everywhere on climate change.’
Mr Gleeson was not impressed by this argument.
‘No really?’ said the retired teacher.
One hundred and twelve fossil fuel projects right now? You know the science, Steve Cmon, you know the science.
“There are 112 fossil fuel projects in this country. Please don’t try to fool people.
“The government has not made any difference. They didn’t drop one. So get your facts straight, mate.’
“I have,” was Price’s abrupt reply.
Protest organizers say the strange protest was made to raise awareness about the dangers of climate change, but Price says the group’s logic is wrong
A specialist had to come on Sunday to remove the glued-on hands of Mr Gleeson and another unidentified female protester from the painting’s cladding.
The couple stood on opposite sides of the 1951 piece, each hand-glued to the glass and above a banner that read “climate chaos = war + famine.”
A cameraman livestreamed Mr. Gleeson and the woman on Facebook as they clung to the painting and started screaming.
Mr Gleeson and two other protesters were arrested.
The protest has cast doubt on the safety of Australian art galleries and means international curators could be hesitant to send in their pieces in the future.