Sunflowers and Rifles
I remember the afternoon of October 14th, 2022, very clearly. I was sitting at the kitchen table, bundled in fuzzy socks and my winter coat because our heater had broke. I was eating cold pizza in a cold house, ready go out and walk down the block to my art class. On the news channel I put on absentmindedly, a headline about Van Gogh streamed across the screen. We’d learned about him just last week, so I snapped out of my daze and focused on the display. CLIMATE PROTESTERS THROW SOUP ON VAN GOGH’S ‘THE SUNFLOWERS’ It went on to show the two culprits being arrested by police officers. They looked younger than I’d thought they’d be. Fresh out of high school. A dramatic close up of the tomato soup covered painting followed. It didn’t look too bad to me. And I remember thinking that there there were worse people to focus on arresting as I made my way out the door. The woman who taught our small Saturday class of 7 held her lessons in her basement. The other floors of...