A collector attending a contemporary art fair accidentally knocked over and smashed a small glass sculpture by renowned artist Jeff Koons.
One of Koons’ famous ‘Balloon Dogs’ series, the shiny blue sculpture was valued at $42,000 (£35,000).
The mishap happened during a VIP preview at Miami’s Art Wynwood, and some collectors thought it was performance art or a stunt.
The sculpture stood alone on an acrylic base emblazoned with Koons’ last name.
“I saw that this woman was there and she knocked[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 the artwork to see if it was a real balloon.
A bystander captured video as gallery employees swept up the broken glass. “I can’t believe anyone would knock that over,” a voice is heard saying on the footage.
Benedicte Caluch, an art consultant at Bel-Air Fine Art, which sponsored the Koons piece, told the Miami Herald the woman had no intention of breaking the piece and the insurance would cover the damage.
Koons, who was not present, is an American painter and sculptor who draws inspiration from everyday objects, including balloon animals. His works challenge notions of what fine art is, despite having sold for as much as $91 million at auction.
His balloon dog sculptures are brightly colored and vary in size, from less than 30 cm in height to more than 3 meters.