Climate protesters glue themselves to frame of artwork at Kelvingrove museum

Climate protesters from Just Stop Oil have glued themselves to the frame of a painting in an art gallery.

The demonstrators, who are opposed to new oil and gas extraction, also sprayed their logo on to the walls and floor of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow.

The painting on the first floor of the gallery is a 19th-century landscape by Horatio McCulloch called My Heart’s In The Highlands.

Just Stop Oil, which has previously carried out protests at oil terminals and the UK Government offices in Edinburgh, said it is calling for art institutions to join the group in “civil resistance” against climate change.

After the protesters glued themselves to the painting, the area was cordoned off by gallery staff and police arrived.

One of those who glued themselves to the frame was Hannah Torrance Bright, 20, a student at Glasgow School of Art.

She said the painting showed a landscape which is “not going to exist anymore” due to climate change.

The protester said she wants the art world to talk more about climate change.

She continued: “By doing this, we bring attention by targeting cultural artefacts, we bring attention to the issue.

“Because people will see this and then they’ll get angry but then maybe they’ll think about why they’re angry and why we’re doing this and how things got to this point.”

The other demonstrator glued to the frame was Carmen Lean, 27, a Glasgow architecture student

She said: “This landscape was painted in 1860 at the height of the Highland clearances, when whole crofting communities were evicted by a new class of landlords ruthlessly pursuing their own private interests.

“It was only when crofters organised and resisted that they won rights.

“Today it’s oil and gas companies who are ruthlessly pursuing their own private interests at the expense of literally everybody.

“They are endangering everyone. We must learn from the history of Scottish crofters on how to fight back effectively.”

A spokeswoman for Glasgow Life, the organisation which runs the museum, said: “On Police Scotland advice, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has closed early today, due to climate protesters inside the museum.

“Glasgow Life museums’ security and conservation teams are currently working with the police to ascertain the extent of any damage. We will update on reopening as soon as possible.”