Visitor accidentally destroys Koons statue at art fair A funeral, a marriage proposal and lots of tears

A collector accidentally knocks over a glass sculpture by famed artist Jeff Koons at an art fair in the United States. The balloon dog (“Balloon Dog”), estimated to be worth around $40,000, disintegrated into thousands of fragments.

He saw the woman bump into the shiny blue statue, after which the artwork suddenly fell over and “splashed into a thousand pieces,” artist Stephen Gamson told an American television station.

Gamson said it looked like the woman was tapping to see if it was a real balloon. Other visitors initially thought the destruction of the statue at the Art Wynwood art fair in Miami was a performance. Video taken by a visitor shows employees sweeping up the broken glass.

An expert told the Miami Herald newspaper that the visitor did not deliberately destroy the statue and that the damage was covered by insurance.

Painter and sculptor Jeff Koons is inspired for his work by everyday objects such as balloon animals. His balloon dog comes in different sizes, from about 30 centimeters to ten meters high. (sda/afp)