WASHINGTON — Edgar Degas's famous "Little Dancer" sculpture display case in the National Gallery of Art in D.C. got a black-and-red makeover on Thursday.
Demonstrators smeared black and red paint all over the case and pedestal of the sculpture to bring attention to the ongoing climate crisis.
Two people, a man and woman dressed in black suits, were behind Thursday's protest.
Both were caught on video putting paint on their hands, crouching down, and painting the pedestal on which the ballerina sculpture is displayed.
They both then stood up and smeared their hands across the clear glass that was protecting the famous piece.
The climate group that organized the demonstration, Declare Emergency, has identified the people on video as Joanna Smith, 53, of New York City and Tim Martin, 54, of Raleigh, North Carolina.
In an effort to get President Biden to declare a climate emergency and to halt the fossil fuel extraction on federal and indigenous lands, the group planned to meet at the gallery in D.C. on Thursday at 11 a.m.
This when the demonstrators got into position and tossed fake oil and blood on the statue's case and sat down.
Speaking from the museum gallery, Smith made her group's reason for protesting known.
"Today, in non-violent rebellion, we have temporarily sullied a piece of art to evoke the real children whose suffering is guaranteed if the death-cult fossil fuel companies keep removing new coal, oil, and gas from the ground. As a parent, I cannot abide this future. This little dancer is protected in her climate controlled box, but people, animals, and ecosystems currently struggling and dying in extreme weather events are not," she said.
Both Smith and Martin were arrested following the incident.
Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art, released a statement in response to the attack.
"We unequivocally denounce this physical attack on one of our works of art and will continue to share information as it becomes available," said Feldman.
The gallery where the "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen" sculpture was has been closed since the incident.
Museum officials say the damaged case has been removed so that experts can further investigate.
The FBI is assisting in the investigation.
This demonstration is just the latest in a string of climate protests impacting fine arts museums, mostly in Europe.
In October of 2022, demonstrators threw tomato soup at Vincent Van Gogh's body of work "Sunflowers" while it was on display at the National Gallery in London. Mashed potatoes were smeared on a Claude Monet painting in Germany. Museum staff say neither painting was damaged as a result.
A man is also accused of attacking the "Mona Lisa" with a cake in May of 2022.
Several similar incidents of protest have also occurred recently including instances where demonstrators glued themselves to or vandalized art.
Demonstrators smear paint on sculpture case at National Gallery of Art
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