(Miami) A collector visiting a contemporary art fair in Miami, USA, accidentally knocked over and shattered a small glass sculpture by famed artist Jeff Koons, estimated at $42,000.
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 that woman was there and she was tapping [la sculpture]. Then it fell and shattered into a thousand pieces,” artist Stephen Gamson told Fox News in Miami.
Initially, Mr 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.
A witness took video as gallery workers swept away the shards of glass. “I can’t believe anyone could have reversed this,” one can hear on this file.
Bénédicte Caluch, artistic advisor at Bel-Air Fine Art, which commissioned the work of Jeff Koons, told 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 though 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.