Some collectors thought it was performance art or staged. The sculpture, a “balloon dog”, was estimated at $42,000.
She will probably only touch with her eyes. A collector who was visiting a contemporary art fair in Miami, United States, accidentally knocked over and broke a small glass sculpture by famous artist Jeff Koons, estimated at 42,000 dollars (nearly 39,200 euros). The bright blue sculpture was part of the famous “balloon dog” series that forged Jeff Koons’ international reputation.
The incident happened at a private preview at Art Wynwood in Miami. Some collectors then thought that it was an artistic performance or a staging.
“I saw this woman was there and she was tapping (the sculpture). Then it fell and shattered into a thousand pieces”, explained to the Fox News channel in Miami l artist Stephen Gamson.
Initially, Gamson believed the woman was tapping the artwork, which sat on an acrylic plinth bearing the name of Jeff Koons, to check if it was a real ball.
Damage covered by insurance
A witness took video as gallery workers swept away the shards of glass. “I can’t believe anyone could have knocked this over,” the file reads.
Bénédicte Caluch, artistic adviser at Bel-Air Fine Art, which sponsored the work of Jeff Koons, declared to the American newspaper Miami Herald that the collector had not wanted to break the work and that the insurance would cover the damage.
Jeff Koons, who was not present, is an American painter and sculptor who draws inspiration from everyday objects, including animal balloons. His works challenge the notion of beauty in art, even if some have been sold at auction for more than 91 million dollars (85 million euros). His sculptures of balloon dogs vary in size, from less than thirty centimeters high to more than three meters. They are all brightly colored.