Couple makes a mistake and paints a painting valued at 380 thousand euros: paint cans were part of the work

It was not an interactive exhibition, as the couple thought. Everything ended up being much better than it was.

A young Korean couple was involved in an unusual incident that quickly went viral on social media and international media in 2021.

During a visit to the Lotte World Mall in Seoul, South Korea, the twenty-something couple came across a stunning work of art on display in the Street Noise exhibition. Thinking it was an interactive installation, they took the brushes and paint cans placed below the canvas and happily applied some brushstrokes of their own — but they permanently ruined the painting valued at 440 thousand dollars (around 380 thousand euros).

To work, Untitledwas created in 2016 by North American graffiti artist John Andrew Perello, known as JonOneas part of the exhibition The Great Graffiti at the Seoul Arts Center. Despite having been intentionally displayed without a frame and accompanied by brushes and paints, these elements were an integral part of the work and were not intended for public participation. This was not explained explicitly.

Untitled 1/1 by

A provocative piece by artist , that two onlookers defaced in a gallery in South Korea in 2021. more info:

— Ely Trader (@ely_trader)

The gaffe was quickly detected by the gallery team, who immediately contacted the authorities. Security cameras recorded the entire action, allowing the perpetrators to be identified. According to reports, the couple were deeply embarrassed during police interrogation. Despite the incident, the authorities and the exhibition organizers decided not to press criminal charges, opting to treat the episode as an unintentional mistake.

Kang Wook, co-organizer of the exhibition, explained that the gallery contacted the insurance company to deal with the damage, but sought to protect the couple, emphasizing that they believed they were interacting with a participatory work. “The paint and brushes used by the artist constitute a complete set with the graffiti canvas. These elements were placed to highlight and document the artist’s work,” said Kang, according to .

O incident actually paid off: it attracted even more visitors curious to see the damaged painting, transforming the error into a media phenomenon. Since then, the work has been displayed with a small fence and signage indicating “Do Not Touch”, preventing future mistakes.