Trash or historical treasure? WA Museum’s anti-gas acquisition sparks outrage

The woman who sprayed the Woodside logo on an iconic piece of art says she feels validated by the WA Museum’s decision to acquire the perspex that protected the painting.

Activist Joana Partyka with the perspex sheet at the WA Museum this week.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Give us your feedback.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles.

What do you call a green radical’s spray paint job over one of the ­nation’s greatest paintings? Vandalism? Criminal damage?

The Western Australian Museum calls it history. An act comparable to the greatest moments in the fights for land rights, women’s rights and gay rights.

And the museum seems not to mind that the target of the protest was also one of its biggest donors: Woodside Energy.

Perth society has been left shocked and appalled that the museum has acquired the graffitied perspex glass that protected Frederick McCubbin’s iconic masterpiece Down on His Luck from permanent damage when Disrupt Burrup Hub activists sprayed the Woodside logo on it in January last year.

The museum says the acquisition will not cost taxpayers and that the institution doesn’t back damage to art and artefacts. But activist Joana Partyka – who was fined $2000 and ordered to pay $5000 of costs to the Art Gallery of Western Australia after being convicted of causing criminal damage for spraying the logo – says she has now been validated in the eyes of history.

“The fact that the museum, one of the premier cultural institutions in Western Australia and the custodian of our history, the fact that they see the historical significance of the perspex and in turn the significance of the Disrupt Burrup Hub campaign … as part of the story of Western Australia, it’s very validating,” Partyka said.

Partyka defaced it when it covered a Frederick McCubbin painting.

Partyka targeted the renowned painting to highlight the risk of damage to Indigenous rock art on the Burrup peninsula.

Then-premier Mark McGowan was swift to condemn her ­actions as “disrespectful and ­totally inappropriate” at the time of the incident.

His successor Roger Cook and Arts Minister David Templeman, however, stayed silent on Wednesday when asked about the museum’s decision.

The WA opposition was up in arms, with leader and Nationals MP Shane Love saying he was “absolutely appalled” by the acquisition.

“Significant police and court resources were used to deal with this case, and now we see a state government entity effectively endorsing this kind of behaviour,” Mr Love said.

“It sends a completely unacceptable message to activists that such criminal acts can be celebrated rather than condemned.”

He called on the WA government to review its procurement processes as a matter of priority.

WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam also criticised the decision.

V for Victory … Partyka with the Western Australian Museum’s new acquisition.

“On the same day we see ­reports of cost-of-living induced scurvy, Roger Cook’s mates have announced they’re acquiring ­vandalism masquerading as art,” she said.

“Whether it is petty vandals or violent criminals, there are no consequences for actions in Roger Cook’s WA.”

WA Museum chief executive Alec Coles defended the acquisition, saying no taxpayer funds had been expended to add the piece and confirming there were currently no plans to put it on ­display.

“The reason for the acquisition is because, like any public culturalinstitution, the museum documents the issues and events that affect our society,” Mr Coles said.

“Amongst its collections it has items from protests over many years, covering Aboriginal land rights, environmental protests, women’s rights, LBGTQI+ rights and many other issues.

“As with other acquisitions, this one does not indicate the WA Museum’s support for the cause, but merely its recording of the event. In fact, unsurprisingly, we condemn the targeting of ­cultural institutions for such ­protests which risk damage to public collections and inconveniencing visitors.”

Partyka’s stunt was the first in a long list of actions – ranging from the annoying to the criminal – from a group determined to take down the biggest energy projects in the state using almost any means necessary.

The group was behind an infamous attempted protest at the private home of Woodside chief executive Meg O’Neill, who subsequently obtained multiple restraining orders barring a number of the activists from coming near her or her family.

The ABC received widespread criticism over its decision to send a Four Corners film crew with the activists to Ms O’Neill’s home.

The defaced McCubbin painting.

Three Disrupt Burrup Hub ­activists – Tahlia Stolarski, Gerad Mazza and Jesse Noakes – were arrested last year after they tried to bring stink bombs into Woodside’s annual general meeting. Those three are due to appear in Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday, when they are facing charges of aggravated burglary in relation to that incident.

Another Disrupt Burrup Hub campaigner, musician Kristen Morrissey, was arrested after she set off stink bombs inside ­Woodside’s Perth CBD headquarters, forcing the evacuation of the building.

The organisation has also set up roadblocks in both the Perth CBD and on the only road in and out of Woodside’s Karratha gas plant, and claimed responsibility for graffiti attacks on the electorate offices of Mr Cook and federal Resources Minister Madeleine King.

In May, the group said it endorsed the Gaza Solidarity Encampment set up by the Students for Palestine group at Perth’s Curtin University.

The museum’s decision to accept the perspex will likely be particularly galling to Woodside and Ms O’Neill.

Woodside is a long-term financial supporter of the museum, as reflected in the museum’s ­dedicated space for students being called the Woodside Learning Studio.

Activists including Partyka have long been calling on the museum and other institutions to turn down donations from the oil and gas industry. If the museum’s acceptance of the glass prompts Woodside to abandon its support for the institution, it will be ­celebrated by the activists as another win.

Woodside declined to comment on the decision itself, instead referring The Australian to the general statement it has previously issued about unlawful activist behaviour.

“Releasing potentially dangerous substances, illegally entering operational areas or offshore facilities and defacing art in public galleries is against the law,” the statement said.

“Such actions are a burden on the emergency services whose job it is to keep us safe, and unnecessarily impact the everyday lives of Western Australians.”