During the opening night of Art Wynwood, an exclusive contemporary art fair in Miami, a small sculpture by the renowned artist Jeff Koons was unfortunately broken. 

The artwork, one of Koons’ famous Dog Balloons, was valued at a significant $42,000 (£35,000) and was a highly anticipated piece of the exhibition.

According to witnesses, a woman attending the VIP-only opening night of the event gave the sculpture a little tap, which caused it to fall and shatter into tiny pieces. Gallery staff had to quickly sweep the remains into dustpans, much to the dismay of onlookers.

This unfortunate accident has caused a significant loss for the gallery and the art community, as Koons’ work is highly sought after and often commands significant prices at auction. The sculpture was a unique and valuable piece, and its destruction is a reminder of the delicate nature of art.

‘Heartbreaking’

According to Cédric Boero, the district manager in charge of managing the Art Wynwood booth for the gallery, the gallery is an official representative of Jeff Koons’ iconic balloon dog sculptures. 

Boero explained to CNN that the collector responsible for the damage did not intend to break the sculpture, and never actually touched it with her hands. Instead, the incident occurred during the opening cocktail, when there were many people on the gallery’s booth. The collector accidentally kicked the pedestal, causing the sculpture to fall and break into pieces.

Boero expressed his disappointment at the destruction of such an iconic piece, stating that it was ‘heartbreaking’ to witness. The gallery’s association with Koons’ artwork makes this incident all the more devastating, as it is not only a personal loss, but also a professional setback for the gallery.

The artwork was insured

Lucky for all parties – the artist, the gallery, and the visitor – the art piece that got broken was insured, as Boero informed. It was insured by Bénédicte Caluch, an art advisor with Bel-Air Fine Art galleries which represents the sculpture.

“This kind of thing unfortunately happens, that is why the artwork was covered by insurance,” said Boero.

Bel-Air Fine Art provided information via email that the artwork in question, titled “Balloon Dog (Blue)”, was created in 2021 and had an approximate value of $42,000. The sculpture, which measured 40 x 48 x 16 cm, was made of porcelain and was part of a limited edition of 799.

This piece, like many other works by the artist, was inspired by Koons’ fascination with everyday objects and pop culture. The balloon dog motif has become one of Koons’ most recognizable and iconic creations, making this particular artwork all the more valuable and sought after.

Jeff Koons’ iconic balloon animal figures

Jeff Koons’ balloon animal sculptures are among the most well-known and valuable works in the contemporary art world. His creations have fetched astounding prices at auction, with his 1986 sculpture “Rabbit” selling for an incredible $91 million at a Christie’s New York auction in 2019. Another iconic work, “Balloon Dog (Orange)”, sold for $58.4 million six years earlier.

Koons’ balloon dog sculptures are especially popular, with the artist having created hundreds of renditions of the whimsical figures. Some of the sculptures are enormous, towering over 10 feet in height, while others are more modestly sized, such as the sculpture that was unfortunately shattered.