Woman Accidentally Kicks, Breaks $42k 'Balloon Dog' Statue

The world of fine art never disappoints. The only thing that can top a $42,000 statue of a balloon dog is someone inadvertently breaking that $42,000 statue of a balloon dog.

Jeff Koons is an artist — no, a visionary — whose work was on display at the Art Wynwood event in Miami. He's known for making statues that look like an amateur clown twisted them together at a crappy local carnival.

Koons "Balloon Dog (Blue)" was on display at Art Wynwood and it caught the eye of a "female art collector." According to some reports, this woman accidentally kicked the pedestal that the piece was sitting on and broke the statue which carries a price tag on par with that of a Kia Telluride.

The sculpture hit the floor and shattered.

A Kick Or A Tap: The Balloon Dog Mystery Deepens

However, there are conflicting reports as to how the ballon sculpture suffered. According to the BBC, the woman tapped on the statue and broke it that way.

I know I would do the same thing. You know how at furniture stores they have fake food sitting around? I always have to give it a tap for science. Someone needs to verify if it's fake food or if some slob left a cake sitting on the showroom floor of IKEA. That someone is usually me but in this instance, it may have been this mysterious — and clumsy — female art collector trying to suss out a phony balloon dog statue.

If that's true, consider it the ultimate compliment to Koons' powers of faux ballooning. If someone can't believe that your balloon dog statue isn't the real McCoy until they've given it an exploratory tap, then you've won the balloon dog arms race.

While Koons himself has yet to comment on the shattering of one of his prized pieces, the gallery's district manager, Cédric Boero has.

"Of course it is heartbreaking to see such an iconic piece destroyed," said Boero.

Heartbreaking indeed, but on the plus side, the sculpture was insured. Still, it's a tragic loss for fans and collectors of balloon dog statues the world over.

Rest in pieces, "Balloon Dog (Blue)."

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