A collector visiting a contemporary art fair accidentally toppled over a small glass sculpture by renowned artist Jeff Koons, shattering it to pieces. The shiny blue sculpture, one of Koons’ famous “balloon dog” series, was valued at a whopping $42,000 (around INR 34,00,000).
sculpture
Jump To
Mishap occurred at VIP preview in Miami
The mishap occurred during a VIP preview at Art Wynwood in Miami, and some collectors thought it was performance art or a staged stunt.
The sculpture sat alone on an acrylic base emblazoned with Koons’s surname.
“I saw this woman was there, and she was tapping (the sculpture), and then the thing fell over and shattered into thousands of pieces,” artist Stephen Gamson told a Fox News affiliate in Miami. Gamson told reporters he thought the woman tapped on the artwork to see if it was a real balloon.
“When this thing fell to the ground, it was like how a car accident draws a huge crowd on the highway.” “I find value in it even when it’s broken,” Gamson said. “To me, it’s the story. It makes the art even more interesting.”
Bystander recorded a video
A bystander took a video as gallery employees swept up the glass shards. “I can’t believe somebody would knock that over,” a voice is heard to say on the video.
Fortunately, the sculpture was covered by insurance and didn’t cost the woman anything, the report said.
The smashed sculpture was a miniature version of Koons’ famed 12-foot-tall Balloon Dog sculpture that’s made out of mirror-polished stainless steel and on display in Los Angeles.
Koons has created a series of the pups between 1994 and 2000 in a variety of colors, sizes and material.
Koons’ work, especially the dogs, fetch a pretty penny. One of the massive orange versions was sold in 2013 for $58.4 million, according to Time Magazine.
Getty
The ‘Balloon Dog’ sculpture
As per Koons, the theme that unites his inflatable sculptures is pop culture. Explaining it in the past, the sculptor said that these objects are familiar but become disconcerting when placed in an exhibition or a museum.
Koons also declared that his Balloon Dog symbolizes human experience: that like these balloons, we inhale air. In other words, air is vital to us, just like these balloons. One thing is for sure, Jeff Koons likes for his work to remain light and childish.
For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit universo virtual News.