A Chilean artist has been jailed after dyeing a famous hot spring in Iceland pink with food colouring . Marco Evaristti , the South American artist who is based in Copenhagen , poured red fruit dye into the Strokkur Geysir , found around 70 miles to the north east of Reykjavik , at dawn . When they boiled , vibrant pink steam blew up from the ground as a result . Professing that 'nature belongs to no one ' , he did not seek permission from local authorities before the stunt . He has since been jailed for two weeks after landowners lambasted his efforts as 'vandalism ' . Scroll down for video . An artist has been jailed after pouring food dye into the Strokkur Geysir natural hot spring in Iceland , causing its the water to turn bright pink . Artist Marco Evarastti defended his artwork , saying nature belonged to 'no one ' . Icelandic authorities jailed the Chilean national for 15 days . 'This is not art , ' Garðar Eiríks­son , a spokesman for the landowners of the Geysir area told local news outlet mbl.is . ' I am deeply sorry that a visitor to out country comes up with such an idea . I have very few words to describe my disgust at these actions . ' Evaristti defended his artwork , describing himself as a 'landscape painter ' . ' I do what I do be­cause I 'm a painter , a land­scape painter who does­ n't use a can­vas , I paint di­rectly on na­ture . ' I do not ask for per­mis­sion be­cause na­ture be­longs to noone . I be­lieve in free­dom of speech and I believe na­ture does­ n't be­long to cer­tain peo­ple , but to every­one . ' ' I love mother nature . If I love a womn I give her a diamond ring . That 's why I decorate nature , because I love it . ' The artist has carried out the same stunt four times across the world including at a frozen waterfall in Norway last year . Boasting of the 'installation ' on his website , he wrote : 'The 5th Pink State has seen the light of day . 'This morning the utopian state of Pink State claimed as it´s new territory the magnificent Strokkur Geysir in Iceland . ' Natural wonder : The spring ( pictured in summer months above ) usually lets off white steam and water .
Marco Evaristti poured red fruit dye into the Strokkur Geysir at dawn . When the hot spring boiled , bright pink steam erupted from the ground . The Chilean artist has been jailed for 15 days by 'disgusted ' authorities . Score: 6