In the past, she's put crocheted covers around a bus and a Wall Street statue of a bull

Authorities say she killed creatures that live on the sculptures

Agata 'Olek ' Oleksiak did not have permission to wrap the sculptures near Cancun, which she says was to raise awareness of endangered species

A Polish artist famed for slipping crocheted covers around unlikely objects has gotten into hot water in Mexico for slipping her brightly colored work around underwater sculptures near Cancun.

Agata Oleksiak, who uses the name Olek, said she intervened at the Cancun Underwater Museum this month to call attention to the dangers facing species such as the whale shark.

But museum director Jaime Gonzalez said she did so without permission, and may herself have damaged marine life growing on the sculptures in an environmentally protected area.

In this undated photo, provided by the Polish artist Agata Oleksiak, shows her setting up her installation over an underwater sculpture at the Cancun Underwater Museum near Cancun, Mexico. The artist known as Olek, famed for slipping crocheted covers around unlikely objects has run afoul of environmental authorities in Mexico for slipping her brightly colored work around the underwater sculptures. (AP Photo)

In this undated photo, provided by the Polish artist Agata Oleksiak, shows her installation over an underwater sculpture at the Cancun Underwater Museum near Cancun, Mexico. The artist known as Olek, famed for slipping crocheted covers around unlikely objects has run afoul of environmental authorities in Mexico for slipping her brightly colored work around the underwater sculptures. (AP Photo)

Bombed: Authorities say Olek has damaged marine life with her unauthorized art

'Believe it or not, there is a lot of marine life growing, incrusted in the sculpture, and we gather that this has killed it,' he said.

Gonzalez said prosecutors are preparing to lodge charges against her.

'If they want to sue me, I don't know. I can pay them back with crocheting more underwater sculptures,' Oleksiak said. 'I don't know why would they sue me but maybe they're a little bit upset that I did it there.'

'But my intentions were positive and that's the most important thing about my work,' she added. 'I really want to create a positive message.'

In the past, she's put crocheted covers around a bus and a Wall Street statue of a bull.

Miscellaneous interests: Olek covered locomotive in yarn, in Lodz, Poland last year

Olek's work has been exhibited in galleries, museums and public spaces worldwide, and featured in numerous publications such as The New York Times, CNN and NBC News