CCTV shows couple in Seoul daubing over US$500,000 graffiti artwork
A visitor looks at the graffiti artwork of New York-based artist Jon One which was damaged by young couple at a gallery in Seoul, South Korea, Apr 2, 2021. (Photo: Reuters/Minwoo Park)
SEOUL: A couple in South Korea accused of damaging artwork by American graffiti artist JonOne said they had mistakenly thought they were allowed to daub paint on the piece as "participatory art," the head of the exhibition said on Friday (Apr 2).
The 240cm by 700cm untitled artwork is estimated to be worth as much as US$500,000 and was painted by JonOne in 2016 in front of an audience at Seoul's Lotte World Mall.
Paint and brushes from the live performance have been on the ground in front of the painting ever since and considered part of the artwork.
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According to exhibition staff members, CCTV cameras on Sunday captured a young man and woman picking up some of the paint and splattering and rubbing it on the artwork.
Police reviewed the CCTV footage before arresting the couple at the mall. They were later released, said head of exhibition Kang Wook, adding charges were unlikely as it appeared to be an honest mistake.
"They thought they were allowed to do that as participatory art and made a mistake," he said. "We are currently in discussions with the artist about whether to restore it."
After the incident the gallery put up a wire fence and additional signs saying "Do Not Touch".
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Some visitors were seen taking pictures of the damaged artwork on Friday, and Kang said an increased number of people had asked about the show after the incident.
