First Paul McCarthy’s ‘Tree’ Sculpture was vandalised in paris; and now, it seems it is the turn of another controversial artist; Jeff Koons. The artist’s retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York was targeted for vandalism shortly after midnight yesterday, this was reported in ARTnews.
The vandal used spray-paint to daub unintelligible letters across a wall on the fourth floor near Koon’s Hanging Heart (Violet/Gold) (1994–2006). Shortly after the attack a man; identified as Christopher Johnson, 33, of Manhattan, was apprehended by museum guards and then taken arrested by the police. The assailant was charged him with criminal mischief, making graffiti, being in possession of a spray instrument, and criminal nuisance, according to the New York Times,
The museum remained open for 36 hours including overnight; this was to mark the closing of the exhibition and its Upper East Side Marcel Breuer-designed home ahead of its relocation to the Meatpacking District.
The Whitney’s director of visitor experience, Adrian Hardwicke, stated that no artwork was damaged, and the museum would remain open for the rest of its intended duration. In August, a man vandalized a blank gallery wall near Koons’ “Rabbit” sculpture in the same exhibit. No art was damaged in that incident either. An online video was posted by an onlooker on the image sharing site Instagram. The video shows the perpetrator rapidly spraying several letters in black spray-paint on the wall in front of other visitors. Following his act of vandalism he pockets the spray can and walks away hurredly.