Saturday May 27, 2023
Two individuals involved in climate activism were detained by authorities on Friday in connection with an attack on a sculpture by renowned French artist Edgar Degas at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, US officials said.
The suspects, identified as Timothy Martin, 53, and Joanna Smith, also 53, surrendered to law enforcement in North Carolina and Washington, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
A statement from the US Attorney outlined that Martin and Smith face charges of conspiring to commit a crime against the United States and damaging an exhibit at the National Gallery of Art. Specifically, they were sued for smearing the paint on the Plexiglas case and base of Degas' masterpiece "La petite danseuse de quatorze ans" ("The Little Dancer, The Fourteenth Age").
The attack, which took place in April, was claimed by a group known as "Declare a State of Emergency". The U.S. attorney pointed out that the group has previously staged disruptive activities, such as blocking roads in the Washington area, to raise awareness of climate-related concerns.
As a result of the attack, the artwork sustained approximately $2,400 worth of damage, leading to its removal from public display for 10 days. If convicted, Martin and Smith face up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count.
Cases of environmental activists resorting to similar actions to draw attention to the issue of global warming have been observed mainly in Europe. Notable incidents include activists sticking their hands on a Goya painting in Madrid, pouring tomato soup over Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" in London and smearing mashed potatoes over Claude Monet's masterpiece in Potsdam, near Berlin.
The motive behind such attacks on works of art is to raise public awareness of the urgency of combating climate change. While activists may see these acts as a form of protest, they often fuel debates about the appropriateness of targeting cultural treasures to convey their message. The incident involving the Degas statue underscores the ongoing tension between environmental activism and cultural heritage protection
