2 Women Charged For Painting ‘Me Too’ Graffiti On Nude Painting At Paris Museum

Art museums open the doorway for us to pause, reflect, wonder, and feel. Not only do we tap into our subconscious to perceive the treasured objects as per our interpretation, but we also learn a lot about the place’s culture and history. However, in present times, museums have fallen prey to rebellion and activism. People are choosing these peaceful environments to protest, even going to the extent of damaging precious art forms. A similar incident was recently witnessed at Paris’ Centre Pompidou-Metz where two women ruined a 19th-century nude painting by spraying the “Me Too” movement slogan on the artwork.

According to a report by the New York Post, a performance artist named Deborah de Robertis and another unidentified woman were the main culprits behind the art damage. The painting that was destroyed was illustrated by French artist Gustave Courbet in 1866, featuring a nude titled The Origin of the World. They sprayed the words Me Too on the glass pane, the medium through which the artwork was protected, as a part of their performance act ‘You Don’t Separate the Woman from the Artist’. The painting was taken on loan from the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, as a part of an exhibition. The museum authorities have filed a police complaint against the two women.

“Stained with red paint, the work was taken down for examination by a qualified restorer. The frame has received numerous splashes of paint that could have lasting marks even after restoration,” claimed the Musee d’Orsay officials, as quoted by the New York Post. Apart from Courbet’s nude painting, the two women also ruined four other art illustrations. Pompidou-Metz prosecutor Yves Badorc confirmed that the two women have been arrested, reported The Guardian.

Besides the two women, a third person was also involved in the crime of stealing precious 1991 artwork which was a red embroidery on a white material, created by French artist Annette Messager. The performance artist claimed that the act of stealing was a part of “reappropriation”. The name of the same was “I Think Therefore I Suck”. As per Musee d’Orsay, Courbet’s painting will not return to the Pompidou-Metz exhibition which will wrap up in May.