MIAMI (AFP) – 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 USD42,000.
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’ 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.
Art advisor Benedicte Caluch with Bel-Air Fine Art, which sponsored the Koons piece, told the Miami Herald that the woman did not mean to break the piece and that insurance would cover the damage.
Koons’ balloon dog sculptures vary in size and come in vivid colours.
