This art collector was fortunate that the “you break it, you buy it” principle did not apply.
Thursday night, a woman admiring a $42,000 “Balloon Dog” sculpture by renowned artist Jeff Koons unintentionally pushed it over, causing it to shatter on the floor of a Miami museum.
According to the Miami Herald, the two-decade-old artwork was destroyed on the first day of Art Wynwood, a contemporary art fair in the city.
Stephen Gamson, a Wynwood-based artist and art collector, told the Herald, “When this thing fell to the ground, it was like a car accident on the highway that attracts a large crowd.”
Gamson stated that visitors to the booth of Bel-Air Fine Art were left wondering if the shattered porcelain was part of a performance art work.
But, the artist believes that the art collector made a mistake by allowing her curiosity to get the best of her. He believed that she may have pondered if it was a real balloon.
A gallery art expert concurred with Gamson’s theory, stating to the Herald that it was really an accident.
According to the article, the sculpture was covered by insurance and did not cost the woman anything.
The shattered sculpture was a small replica of Koons’ 12-foot-tall stainless steel Balloon Dog sculpture, which is on display in Los Angeles.
From 1994 and 2000, Koons created a series of pups in various colors, sizes, and materials.
The fragment that was destroyed on Thursday evening was approximately 15 inches tall, blue in hue, and composed of porcelain.
The works of Koons, especially the dogs, attract a high price. According to Time Magazine, one of the orange models was sold for $58.4 million in 2013.
Koons did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post.
After another porcelain Balloon Dog was destroyed in 2016, Koons told Page Six he was unconcerned.
“It’s unfortunate when something like that occurs, but it’s just a porcelain plate,” he remarked. “We’re very fortunate when it’s just objects that break, or when there are minor accidents of this nature, because they can be replaced.”
Gamson continues to believe that the fragments could be valuable.
He stated that he approached a director and offered to purchase the porcelain fragments immediately.
Gamson stated, “I find value in it even when it’s broken.” “With me, it’s all about the tale. It enhances the appeal of the painting.”
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