London’s National Gallery houses one of the most important art collections in the world. But on 14 October, visitors to room 43 got more than they bargained for: two climate activists threw tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh’s iconic painting “Sunflowers.”

A hundred years ago, the Bauhaus movement hoped to build a better, more equal future by imagining a new way of living. Unfortunately, this vision was to remain a dream. In the 1930s, many German Jewish Bauhaus architects emigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine to escape the Nazis. As a result, Tel Aviv can boast over 4,000 buildings in the Bauhaus style, more than any other city in the world.

The British artist Damien Hirst was never one to shy away from publicity and controversy. Dead animals suspended in formaldehyde made him famous: in 1992. This month, in his project “The Currency,” he is burning physical artworks that have been exchanged for digital artworks, NFTs.

On 13 September, the Iranian morality police arrested Mahsa (Jina) Amini, a 22-year-old young woman. The offence: Mahsa Amini had allegedly not complied with Iran’s strict rules on head coverings. Three days later, she was dead. Her death has sparked protests across Iran. Jalz, a 22-year-old artist and graphic designer in Iran, is the same age as Mahsa Amini. He is posting powerful works of graphic art in support of the protests on Instagram.

Since 1769, London’s Royal Academy of Arts has held its annual summer exhibition, a showcase of art created right now, by both established and emerging artists. It is the world’s largest open submission exhibition: anyone can submit their work for consideration. This year was also the fourth year of the Royal Academy’s Young Artists’ Summer Show for students aged 4 – 19 across the UK.