A miniature of the iconic “Balloon Dog” by artist Jeff Koons was accidentally shattered by a visitor at a Miami gallery.
The 15-inch sculpture was almost 20 years old and a miniature version of the original ‘Balloon Dog’ by Jeff Koons. The original, located in Los Angeles, is a 12-foot-tall sculpture made of polished stainless steel. Between 1994-2000, Koons created multiple versions of the ‘Balloon Dog’ in various sizes. One of them – a large, orange replica – was sold for $58.4 million in 2013.
On Thursday evening, at the Art Wynwood art event in Miami, a woman accidentally toppled and shattered the miniature sculpture which was on display there. The woman, whose identity was not revealed, is said to be an art collector herself. The shattering soon caused a mild ruckus at the gallery as everyone gathered around to watch the event. The work was estimated to be worth $42,000 in the market. Fortunately, the sculpture was covered by insurance.
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This is not the first time a Balloon Dog miniature has been accidentally broken; in 2016, another one was shattered. At the time, Jeff Koons displayed little concern over the incident. In an interview, Koons expressed disappointment at the event but was glad that it was ‘just a porcelain plate’. Jeff Koons hasn’t yet commented on the recent incident. Meanwhile, some like Stephen Gamson (a Wynwood-based artist) believe that the broken pieces could also be worth money in the market.
