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A blog for artists and lovers of the arts from around the world, featuring discussions, appreciation and commentary on visual art, performance art and art-film.

Visitor trips and smashes scupture at Royal Academy

August 5th 2008 07:58
Royal Academy art smash
It's easy to prevent visitors from touching oil paintings; you hire some stuffy attendant to make throat-clearing noises whenever the paintings are in danger.

With sculptures, though, a red velvet rope usually suffices. Maybe even a polite sign.


Well, last week, a sculpture took one for the team as a visitor slipped and knocked it to the ground, smashing it into a thousand million billion pieces. Maybe even more.

"The sculpture was part of an exhibit in a display at the Royal Academy's summer exhibition curated by Tracey Emin, who described it as a star of the show. It was one of five totems by Costa Rican artist Tatiana Echeverri Fernandez, collectively titled Frauleins Christina, Panthea, Zenobia, Semiramis and Guinevere."

The art world suffered some indignation at the loss of a sculpture to a visitor... I'm sure a lot of artists would prefer that visitors stay out of the galleries, but still pay the admission fees.

Was it deliberate? Probably not, but what if it was an insidious plot by some rival artist, jealous because of the soaring recognition of his/her peer?

It's better than a lead pipe, anyway.

And there's still four of the sculptures left, which means the sculpture is only worth 80% of its original value. So, instead of buying it for $100, you can buy it for $80. Discount prices!


Anyway, the Guardian notes that in 2006, a man tripped over his shoelaces, destroying a Qing dynasty vase. That one lost Fraulein is in good company!
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3 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Mrs M

August 5th 2008 09:15
Hi Cibby,

When my eldest was only 2 1/2 were visiting the Art Gallery at Canberra and she spotted a Jackson Pollock which I'm sure was worth around $2 million.

She made a run for it and 2 security guards made a run for her. Thankfully they stopped her in time while I caught my heart in my throat.

She's 7 now and just the other day she said she had learnt about Jackson Pollock at school and she really liked his stuff.

No kidding.

Love & stuff
Mrs M

Comment by TimmyH

August 5th 2008 14:52

Comment by Johnny Come Lately

August 6th 2008 04:24
Ouch. Hope they don't have a "you break it you pay for it" rule.

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