Occasionally I am lost for words.
These two charming oaky-wokey snowflake French loonies seem to have completely lost their marbles.
The idiot on the right is wearing a T Shirt which says Riposte Alimentaire, which roughly translates as 'food response'. Their wish is to promote 'healthy and sustainable food'; well, we all want that!
Let me tell you something about France. France is a country with huge un-worked reserves of arable land, and woodland. When you fly over France in a Hot Air Balloon (as I have) you would be forgiven for thinking that the whole of the country is either abandoned or wooded; mostly wooded.
In the past 20/25 years there has been a second great 'hippy' movement back to the countryside. Lovely old farms are cheap, and eco-minded people move there to grow bio-foods, keep Goats, and be closer to nature. All very commendable.
Often they attempt to sell some of their crops, and at most weekly markets you will find several 'hippies' selling a few dirty carrots, or potatoes. Their wares are sadly always unappealing, and as much as I'd like to buy from them, their vegs simply don't come up to scratch.
I'm not quite sure what these soup-throwing lovies are protesting about, but if it really does have anything to do with growing 'healthy and sustainable food', then maybe they should either do it themselves, or have a word with those who already do.
I have lived by producing much of my own food for decades, and have never felt the desire to throw soup at a well known painting.
Telling other people what they should or shouldn't be doing, and presumably be more like the soup-throwing eco-morons, is not going to make themselves popular.
Lead by example! Grow your own, and explain how much better it is (even if it isn't). And mostly, don't throw Pumpkin Soup over The Mona Lisa.
Luckily the painting is behind a glass screen, so no damage was done. I hope they were made to clear it up!
What a pair of IDIOTS.
I thought is was another of the oil protesters stupid activities. Either way, they really are about as stupid as it's possible to be
ReplyDeleteAnd they don't mind showing it to the world!
DeleteThat type of protest seems to have become fashionable. One simply must make a statement with one's soup, darling.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't try it in China N Korea or Russia.
DeleteUnlike you I hesitate to call other people "idiots". In an uncensored version of my reply I'd say "not even you". :)
ReplyDeleteWhen things get desperate people will take questionable actions to draw attention to a social issue - in this case the plight of French farmers. HA, ain't it amazing? Go on a peaceful march - result? Zero. Throw some soup at the Mona Lisa? It makes the headlines.
Let's give those two women the benefit of the doubt (and, no, I do NOT condone their action). They most likely knew that no material damage would be done by wasting perfectly good soup since the painting is behind bullet proof glass. Nothing that a little hot water won't rectify. On the other hand, they are now in French Police custody. Which they must have known full well was to happen. Yet, their cause was more important to them than their own comforts.
Talking of which [comforts] the one bit that intrigues me in your post: Why would vegetables grown by what you call "hippies" and sold on French Farmers' Markets not come up to your exacting standards?
Haddocks greetings,
U
You'd have to see them. Of course this is a generalisation, but I can assure you that most bio veg' growers do themselves a great disfavour. Their vegs are usually dried-up, dirty, and unappealing. If they weren't I would buy from them, as I like to support such people.
DeletePious Ursula , pious
DeleteI agree about the "hippie" vegetables, unwashed, scrawny looking things. My local Farmer's market has a few like them, also a few truly organic sellers who bring along some splendid looking veggies that I can't afford, then there's the regular growers with bins of spuds and bunches of carrots that do good business, they often have free range eggs too. but that market is only once a month, so I stick to supermarkets.
DeleteIt amazes me that they don't see where they're going wrong.
DeleteWhen i used. to stay with friends in the Poitou-Charante the land in between the forest areas for wild boar hunting seemed reasonably well cultivated and I seem to recall that the huge markets always had plenty of food of just about every description grown or produced locally. The big supermarkets everywhere are forcing the price they pay farmers (and everyone else) down. This means, of course, less expensive (there's no such thing as cheap) food for consumers and massive imports from, eg South America. We live in an unfairly controlled economy. Can you tell I've not had my first coffee yet?
ReplyDeleteThese days most land lies idle. They don't even bother with maize or wheat. Hardly anyone in my area grows a good selection of vegs, other than the few 'hippies'. The shops are probably better stocked with vegs than here, and the prices are lower. Of course a lot of it is imported, whilst my neighbours twiddle their fingers and hold their hands out to Brussels. It's crazy.
DeleteWhy don't you say what you mean Cro - instead of tiptoeing around the issue like Rudolf "effing" Nureyev? Thank God the painting was not damaged by those "effing" idiots. Big supermarkets sell food so I suggest that they would be much more appropriate targets for their protests. Art galleries are about art, not food - unless you visit the cafe.
ReplyDeleteOf course farmers should be paid a decent price for what they grow, and supermarkets encouraged to buy home-grown. As you say; THEY should be the targets, but please stay outside in the car park.
DeleteOne trusts that the soup was home-made, using the finest ingredients, and not out of a tin from a supermarket?
ReplyDeleteOr, heaven forbid; imported.
DeleteIt was cake last time Mona Lisa was attacked. She must wonder what is coming next.
ReplyDeleteAt least they can afford to throw away good food. They must be wealthy farmers!
DeleteI think you are especially annoyed because it was not one of your own paintings.
ReplyDeleteIf only. I'd have to invite them here, and even offer them my own soup.
DeleteWhy do they have to keep throwing stuff at beautiful things ..... they are not endearing themselves to the people they are trying to get on side !!!They are just alienating themselves and not helping their cause. XXXX
ReplyDeleteThat's what annoys me so much. I have nothing against anyone protesting, but do it correctly.
DeleteA stunt that got them noticed, and punished.
ReplyDeleteI expect they'll get slightly more punishment in France, than their teachers over here.
DeleteIt's the downside of social media. They see people promoting themselves and becoming famous in their own lunchtimes and emulate them. Let them try it in the Isle of Man, Singapore or on a Mosque in the UK and I'll have some respect for them.
ReplyDeletePS. I'm waiting for the Just stop oil posers to lie down in front of a bike at the TT. They tried it at Silverstone and it didn't end well.
DeleteI think the JSO protesters are having a rough time these days. People have become tired of them, and let them know!!!
DeleteThey have time on their hands. It seems like a total waste.
ReplyDeleteThey'd be better off growing some vegs.
Delete"Grow your own, and explain how much better it is (even if it isn't)."
ReplyDeleteWe have two young lads [not yet 30 and they've been doing it for eight years] and their young families, nearby us, who follow your edict!
They have taken over an old orchard centric farm....
and have removed every other row!!
In between the rows of apple, pear, plum, apricot trees.... they grow crops that demand shade... graze pigs and.... keep chickens.
They now have four vast polytunnels producing fresh veg all year around... because of the way it has grown, they now employ local people under the WOOFERs banner...
They service five local markets and on Monday afternoons, you can buy direct up at the farm.
Our village store gets their veg from the lads... the oldest sprog can now drive a "vehicule sans permis" and does the shop supply runs...
it is exactly what you say they should be doing.
I noticed that they have now started producing recipe sheets for some of their stuff!!
Personally I think it is fabulous!
Many of the farmers who are protesting are Luddites in the true sense... don't want progress... just want more money for producing what people actually don't need...
yes, I know that is a gross exageration, but to be honest.... it does fit most of them to a greater or lesser degree.
They aren't helped by the supermarchés who want them to supply food and milk for zilch, or less! The CAP is a very big mistake and needs a total restart!
That's good to hear. Of course there are serious 'hippies' out there who do the job properly, but sadly most of them don't have a clue. Most problems in Europe are caused by Brussels, and the current malaise is certainly one.
DeleteNews that’s Yesterday’s chip paper cro xx
ReplyDeleteHere, I'm sure you're right, but in France it'll run and run.
DeleteIdiots is right. Throwing soup on a painting, or anywhere else for that matter, does nothing but make a mess. It has no bearing on grow your own and live a healthy simple lifestyle. Soup throwing, or paint throwing, is vandalism and they should be heavily fined.
ReplyDeleteThey should firstly have been made to clear up all the mess, even if it took all day. After which I could suggest a few other punishments.
Delete