Climate activists vandalized an iconic Edgar Degas sculpture in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, according to reports.
53-year-old Joanna Smith and 54-year-old Tim Martin defaced Degas’ “Little Dancer” sculpture outside the National Gallery of Art.
Protesters smeared paint on the case and pedestal of Edgar Degas’s “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen” sculpture in the National Gallery of Art in D.C. to bring attention to the climate crisis and demand that President Biden declare a climate emergency. https://t.co/FWiuFqJzId pic.twitter.com/8AQkeIWlQH
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 27, 2023
“Today a priceless work of art in our collection, Degas’s original wax Little Dancer, was attacked by protestors with swaths of red and black paint. After attacking the Degas sculpture, they made statements about climate issues,” gallery director Kaywin Feldman said in a statement.
The protestors smeared the work with paint in an apparent effort to raise awareness about climate change. Smith said, “We need our leaders to take serious action, to tell us the truth about what’s happening with the climate.”
The sculpture was removed from view so the gallery’s conversation team could assess the potential damage to it. Gallery 3, where “Little Dancer” was on display, and several connecting galleries on the ground floor of the West Building were closed for the remainder of the day due to the incident.
“We unequivocally denounce this physical attack on one of our works of art and will continue to share information as it becomes available,” the statement continued. “The safety and security of our staff and visitors and of our collection remain our highest priority.”
Degas’s sole public sculpture, “The Little Dancer Aged Fourteen,” which was unveiled in 1881, was praised for its realism and ground-breaking use of mixed media. The sculpture, which features a trainee dancer from the Paris Opera Ballet and symbolizes the challenging conflict between art and life, was a groundbreaking work in the evolution of sculpture since it liberated the use of whatever medium was required to achieve the intended effect.
This comes after a string of climate change-related demonstrations across the globe, most recently with the case of activists blocking traffic in Paris, France. The incident occurred last December when activists from the group “Dernière Rénovation” brought traffic to a standstill. Frustrated drivers then took matters into their own hands and threw the protesters like ragdolls off the road.
The wave of climate protests prompted an international outcry, with government officials and art experts condemning the practice and museums all over the world increasing security.
“[Vandalism] alienates many people we need to bring into the fold. People who are natural allies in the climate battle but will draw negative associations with climate advocacy and activism from such acts,” said University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann.
