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| Kang Wook, CEO of Contents Creator of Culture (CCOC), a co-organizer for the exhibition "Street Noise" held in Seoul's Lotte World Mall, points to the vandalized work of the American graffiti artist JonOne, March 28. Yonhap |
By Park Han-sol
The art of a renowned U.S. graffiti artist displayed in southern Seoul's Lotte World Mall has been found to be damaged by two viewers who claimed they mistook it for a participatory, interactive painting.
On March 28 at around 1:40 p.m., a couple in their 20s came across graffiti artist JonOne's "Untitled" displayed at the "Street Noise" exhibition, according to the police. The two grabbed brushes and paint buckets ― strewn in front of the piece as part of the exhibit ― to apply several blue-green colored brushstrokes on the piece. No staff was present at the time of the incident.
The event organizers, after discovering their unsanctioned addition half an hour later, caught them shopping nearby and reported their whereabouts to the police.
Asked about their motives, the two reportedly said, "It was graffiti on the wall and since there were brushes and paint at the scene, we thought we were allowed to doodle something as well."
The organizers decided that the case wasn't an act of deliberate vandalism and will continue to exhibit the artwork as it is. They are currently in the process of contacting the artist JonOne to suggest against filing a suit or making an insurance claim, adding that "if he doesn't accept their request, the patrons will need to compensate him for the damage."
Public opinions regarding the event were surprisingly divided. Some claimed that it is only natural for a third party with no relation to the exhibited piece be held fully responsible for compensation.
Meanwhile, others argued that the fault lied more with the organizers, who failed to clearly indicate that the brushes and paint buckets scattered in front of the artwork were part of the display and not to be used.
"And the added brushstrokes, which almost look like three dancing figures, seem to express the free spirits of today's younger generation, while complementing the painting well. I think it suits the theme of the exhibition 'Street Noise,'" one user wrote.
The work "Untitled" in question was created by JonOne during his visit to Korea in 2016. The artist, originally from New York and now mainly working in Paris, made a name for himself within French-American art circles for his works filled with vibrant colors and instinctive strokes that evolved beyond its street art roots. He was the recipient of France's premier award The Legion of Honor in 2015.
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| JonOne's street art piece "Untitled," with the vandalized portion circled / Yonhap |
