Clueless tourists destroy crystal-covered ‘Van Gogh' chair in Italian museum
A tourist in Italy has crushed a chair adorned with thousands of crystals while posing for a photo opportunity.
The chair, nicknamed 'Van Gogh', was squashed by the visitors, who quickly fled the exhibit, leaving the chair behind.
Officials labelled it as an art exhibition's 'worst nightmare', however, said restorers were able to fix the piece, returning it to its former glory.
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News.com.au
18 hours ago
- News.com.au
The Louvre, the world's most-visited museum, shuts down as staff protests over mass tourism
The Louvre, the world's most-visited museum and a global symbol of art, beauty and endurance, has withstood war, terror, and pandemic — but on Monday, it was brought to a halt by its own striking staff, who say the institution is crumbling under the weight of mass tourism. It was an almost unthinkable sight: the home to works by Leonardo da Vinci and millennia of civilisation's greatest treasures — paralysed by the very people tasked with welcoming the world to its galleries. Thousands of stranded and confused visitors, tickets in hand, were corralled into unmoving lines by I.M. Pei's glass pyramid. 'It's the Mona Lisa moan out here,' said Kevin Ward, 62, from Milwaukee. 'Thousands of people waiting, no communication, no explanation. I guess even she needs a day off.' The Louvre has become a symbol of tourism pushed to its limits. As hotspots from Venice to the Acropolis race to curb crowds, the world's most iconic museum, visited by millions, is hitting a breaking point of its own. Just a day earlier, co-ordinated anti-tourism protests swept across southern Europe. Thousands rallied in Mallorca, Venice, Lisbon and beyond, denouncing an economic model they say displaces locals and erodes city life. In Barcelona, activists sprayed tourists with water pistols — a theatrical bid to 'cool down' runaway tourism. The Louvre's spontaneous strike erupted during a routine internal meeting, as gallery attendants, ticket agents and security personnel refused to take up their posts in protest over unmanageable crowds, chronic understaffing and what one union called 'untenable' working conditions. It's rare for the Louvre to close its doors. It has happened during war, during the pandemic, and in a handful of strikes — including spontaneous walkouts over overcrowding in 2019 and safety fears in 2013. But seldom has it happened so suddenly, without warning, and in full view of the crowds. What's more, the disruption comes just months after President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a sweeping decade-long plan to rescue the Louvre from precisely the problems now boiling over — water leaks, dangerous temperature swings, outdated infrastructure, and foot traffic far beyond what the museum can handle. But for workers on the ground, that promised future feels distant. 'We can't wait six years for help,' said Sarah Sefian, a front-of-house gallery attendant and visitor services agent. 'Our teams are under pressure now. It's not just about the art — it's about the people protecting it.' The Mona Lisa's daily mob At the centre of it all is the Mona Lisa — a 16th-century portrait that draws modern-day crowds more akin to a celebrity meet-and-greet than an art experience. Roughly 20,000 people a day squeeze into the Salle des États, the museum's largest room, just to snap a selfie with Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic woman behind protective glass. The scene is often noisy, jostling, and so dense that many barely glance at the masterpieces flanking her — works by Titian and Veronese that go largely ignored. 'You don't see a painting,' said Ji-Hyun Park, 28, who flew from Seoul to Paris. 'You see phones. You see elbows. You feel heat. And then, you're pushed out.' Macron's renovation blueprint, dubbed the 'Louvre New Renaissance,' promises a remedy. The Mona Lisa will finally get her own dedicated room, accessible through a timed-entry ticket. A new entrance near the Seine River is also planned by 2031 to relieve pressure from the overwhelmed pyramid hub. 'Conditions of display, explanation and presentation will be up to what the Mona Lisa deserves,' Macron said in January. But Louvre workers call Macron hypocritical and say the 700 million to 800 million-euro ($730 million to $834 million) renovation plan masks a deeper crisis. While Macron is investing in new entrances and exhibition space, the Louvre's annual operating subsidies from the French state have shrunk by more than 20% over the past decade — even as visitor numbers soared. 'We take it very badly that Monsieur Le President makes his speeches here in our museum,' Sefian said, 'but when you scratch the surface, the financial investment of the state is getting worse with each passing year.' While many striking staff plan to remain off duty all day, Sefian said some workers may return temporarily to open a limited 'masterpiece route' for a couple of hours, allowing access to select highlights including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. The full museum might reopen as normal on Wednesday, and some tourists with time-sensitive tickets for Monday may be allowed to reuse them then. On Tuesday the Louvre is closed. A museum in limbo The Louvre welcomed 8.7 million visitors last year — more than double what its infrastructure was designed to accommodate. 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But workers say their needs are more urgent than any 10-year plan. Unlike other major sites in Paris, such as Notre Dame cathedral or the Centre Pompidou museum, both of which are undergoing government-backed restorations, the Louvre remains stuck in limbo — neither fully funded nor fully functional. President Macron, who delivered his 2017 election victory speech at the Louvre and showcased it during the 2024 Paris Olympics, has promised a safer, more modern museum by the end of the decade. Until then, France's greatest cultural treasure — and the millions who flock to see it — remain caught between the cracks.
News.com.au
20 hours ago
- News.com.au
A-listers soak up the sun during European summer holidays
It's official: Every celebrity is sunning themselves in Europe right now. Australians might be waking up to freezing temperatures, but on the other side of the world, it's a Northern summer and the rich and famous are making the most of the weather. American actress and director Olivia Wilde is the latest celeb to turn their out of office on – she was spotted soaking up the Sicilian sun in the seaside town of Taormina. The Don't Worry Darling director, 40, was seen emerging from the Mediterranean Sea in a tiny two-piece bikini. She was on holiday with her friend, film producer Saul Germaine. Also in Taormina – who knew this small Sicilian town was such a celeb hotspot? – Helen Hunt. The 62-year-old star is enjoying a career resurgence thanks to her memorable role on the streaming hit Hacks, and recently opened up about the 'misery and shame' she felt at the peak of her 90s fame as she tried to live up to Hollywood's exacting beauty standards. Over on the Spanish holiday isle of Ibiza, Kate Moss' model daughter Lila, 22, is doing as all good nepo babies should: Spending her summer on holiday. Challengers and The Crown hunk Josh O'Connor, 35, takes a dip in the exclusive Italian seaside resort town of Portofino, where he's enjoying a romantic getaway with girlfriend Alison Oliver: Also coupled up in Italy: Singer Billie Eilish, 23, with her singer and actor boyfriend Nat Wolff, seen leaving Venice via a water taxi. The pair's smoochy Italian getaway has confirmed the recent speculation that they are indeed an item. Noughties singer James Blunt, 51, is clearly still doing OK off the royalties from You're Beautiful – he and wife Sofia were spotted living it up on a yacht in the French Riviera: And another big noughties star, former Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria, looked sensational at 50 in this low-cut swimsuit. She was spotted having some fun (and a lot of PDA) in the sun at Marbella in Spain with her husband, José Bastón. Longoria, at least, wasn't on holiday, having purchased a home in Marbella in 2023 and moving to Spain last year. 'The first time I came to Marbella, two decades ago, it was love at first sight. I said to myself: 'Some day I'll live here,'' she told Hello! last January. The star's Marbella estate features lush gardens, a pool and even a huge private cinema. Longoria is one of a number of Hollywood stars who've moved across the pond recently – among them Ellen DeGeneres, Rosie O'Donnell and Richard Gere.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Clueless tourists destroy crystal-covered ‘Van Gogh' chair in Italian museum
A tourist in Italy has crushed a chair adorned with thousands of crystals while posing for a photo opportunity. The chair, nicknamed 'Van Gogh', was squashed by the visitors, who quickly fled the exhibit, leaving the chair behind. Officials labelled it as an art exhibition's 'worst nightmare', however, said restorers were able to fix the piece, returning it to its former glory.
