"Life Just Stopped For 15 Minutes": Woman Breaks Priceless Sculpture

A woman who visited an art exhibition in Miami accidentally knocked over a Jeff Koons piece worth $42,000 (Rs 34.7 lakh) and it shattered into pieces, according to a report in New York Times (NYT). The incident took place on Thursday (February 16). The blue porcelain sculpture, called the balloon dog, was about 16 inches tall and 19 inches long and perched on a transparent pedestal at Art Wynwood, the outlet further reported. During the art fair's VIP preview, many art aficionados were gathered at the venue when the unfortunate incident happened.

"Before I knew it, they were picking up the Jeff Koons pieces in a dustpan with a broom," Stephen Gamson, an art collector and artist, who claims to have seen the sculpture fall, told NYT.

The sculpture shattered into at least 100 pieces, the outlet further reported.

At Art Wynwood, more than 50 galleries from the United States and abroad showcased their works.

According to witnesses at the scene, the woman tapped the sculpture with her finger. Some of them said she poked it in order to see if it was a real balloon, reported Independent.

It further said that the woman, who has not been named, will not have to pay the cost of the artwork. Independent said she herself in an art collector.

"Life just stopped for 15 minutes with everyone around," said Cedric Boero, an associate of Bel-Air Fine Art galleries. Mr Boero also said that the woman told a colleague that she was "very very sorry" and "just wanted to disappear".

Koons is a painter and sculptor who is known for creating art that takes inspiration from everyday objects.

Some of his most notable work includes a series of brightly coloured glass balloon animals.