Boy sticks gum on $1.5m painting

[Robot Chicken]

Painter Helen Frankenthaler's landmark abstract work "The Bay" just got a little more abstract -- to the dismay of Detroit museum officials.

A 12-year-old boy visiting the Detroit Institute of Arts with his school group on Friday stuck a wad of chewing gum on the painting, which is worth an estimated $1.5 million, the Detroit Free Press said.

The barely chewed Wrigley's Extra Polar Ice gum left a residue stain about the size of a quarter in the lower left-hand corner of the painting, the newspaper said.

The boy was suspended from Holly Academy, a Detroit-area charter school he attends, the newspaper reported.

Neither museum or school officials could be immediately reached for comment.

The 1963 painting, which remains on display, is considered one of the most important modern works in the Detroit museum's collection, the newspaper said.

Museum curators expect to be able to remove the gum residue with a solvent once they have researched the chemicals contained in the gum, assistant contemporary art curator Becky Hart said.

"In the scheme of things, this is upsetting, and it will make us review our policies. But we're confident that the painting will be OK," Hart told the Free Press.

Kids of today, eh

 

[chez]

"barely chewed Wrigley's Extra Polar Ice gum".

Like you'd ask him which kind of chewing gum it was wouldnt you!!! Stupid americans.

 

[Robot Chicken]

"barely chewed Wrigley's Extra Polar Ice gum".

Like you'd ask him which kind of chewing gum it was wouldnt you!!! Stupid americans.

I'd imagine such information would be critical?

Museum curators expect to be able to remove the gum residue with a solvent once they have researched the chemicals contained in the gum

 

[chez]

I'd imagine such information would be critical?

OK, fair enough. Lucky it wern't Bubblicious, that stuff doesnt come off anything!!!!

 

[Juan Albion]

The most shocking thing is that our lovey dovey arty friends would pay $1.5m for something the artist used to mop up a spill.

 

[Bakesy]

Am i in the wrong job or what?


Actually my daughters paintings look quite similar......am i sitting on a goldmine?

 

[Virgos Magician]

i cant even see the stain it left

And $1.5M for that. Just looks like someone spilt there bottle of paint over a drawing of a hill.

 

[Yorkie]

Am i in the wrong job or what?


Actually my daughters paintings look quite similar......am i sitting on a goldmine?

Your daughter's paintings are better than that. I still have two sketches that she gave me.
I'll keep them safe for when she is famous.

 

[Hampden Park]

i hope that brown mark in the lighter blue part is not shi.............