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Thursday, January 5, 2012

Booze / Visual Art Just Rubbing Your Drunk Ass on a Painting "Damages" It

Posted by Jen Graves on Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 1:35 PM

A drunk woman at the new Clyfford Still Museum in Denver punched one of the late abstractionist's paintings repeatedly while her pants were down, then slid down it, rubbing her bare ass on her way to collapsing and peeing on herself on the floor.

Museum officials are quick to point out that her pee didn't make it onto the painting. They estimate the damage at $10,000—in part from scratches. A local dealer tells the Denver Post that another layer of damage comes from the meta-fact that damage was done. "...[E]ven people just knowing that happened," the dealer says, decreases the value of the painting. (He's probably right, although I'd also say it depends on the extent of the damage—a torn Frank Stella painting at Sea-Tac Airport shows where it has been repaired, and that's an obvious reduction in its value, but less serious repairs matter less.)

Stupid purists. As for me, I'd much rather buy a painting that has had an ass slide down it than one that hasn't.

Comments (23) RSS

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That's cuz the work you like is SHIT!

Posted by Booom!!! on January 5, 2012 at 1:43 PM

She'd be a definite candidate for DoTW, if this had happened at SAM...

Posted by COMTE

on January 5, 2012 at 1:44 PM

if it's in the clifford still museum, the painting is theoretically PRICELESS, as it will never be sold.

therefore, the damage has no monetary value.

Posted by Max Solomon on January 5, 2012 at 1:48 PM

$30 million for that? Ridiculous.

Posted by DOUG.

on January 5, 2012 at 1:52 PM

Love the fact that this add appears after the next story down on Slog:
Seattle Art Restoration
Professional Art Restoration Seattle / Shoreline .
phoenixartrestoration.com

Posted by WS on January 5, 2012 at 1:54 PM

Are you recruiting for ass sliders to slide down your own collection? I'm sure there are plenty of Slog readers who would volunteer.

Posted by SPG on January 5, 2012 at 1:57 PM

Jen, I have some paintings I would like to sell you. They are very expensive.

Posted by MacCrocodile on January 5, 2012 at 2:04 PM

Max @3, actually, the museum sold one of the paintings in the collection about a month ago to come up with money for operating costs. It went for a shit-ton of money ($40 million if I remember correctly).

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty

on January 5, 2012 at 2:05 PM

"Stupid purists. As for me, I'd much rather buy a painting that has had an ass slide down it than one that hasn't."

With that, Jen Graves is officially my favorite art critic of all time.

Posted by johnnymurdoc on January 5, 2012 at 2:05 PM

Who the hell goes to a museum drunk?

Posted by sirkowski

on January 5, 2012 at 2:06 PM

Well, Carmen Tisch ought to have no trouble gaining employment in the future. She's faymous! Probably ought to wear a turtleneck to the job interview, though.

Posted by Fnarf

on January 5, 2012 at 2:46 PM

Gee, this Titian is really old and worn-out, it must be worthless.

Posted by thatsnotright on January 5, 2012 at 2:47 PM

One person's drunk flail is another person's performance art.

Posted by bedipped on January 5, 2012 at 2:48 PM

just that first paragraph / sentence thing. nothing else should be said.

@9 cuz you uh read alot of art criticism

Posted by aardvark on January 5, 2012 at 2:56 PM

Hanging art at-or-below ass-level is a calculated risk.

Posted by Dougsf on January 5, 2012 at 3:15 PM

Didn't Jackson Pollack create some of his abstract impressionist paintings by dipping his ass in paint and sliding it down a canvas?

And his sell for more.

Hence, she increased the value.

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on January 5, 2012 at 3:19 PM

something about taking the redneck out of the trailer park...

Posted by JonnoN on January 5, 2012 at 3:26 PM

A new low in Jen Graves reportage.

Posted by northwest mystic on January 5, 2012 at 3:45 PM

laszlo toth she ain't.

Posted by scary tyler moore

on January 5, 2012 at 3:56 PM

Also, no less an artist than the late great Farrah Fawcett produced art by slathering her naked body in paint and then smooshing her naked painted self up against the canvas.

Precedent! sort of

Posted by merry on January 5, 2012 at 4:46 PM

I was just at the Clyfford Still museum...only a couple days before this happened. His stuff is really remarkable; it's a shame to hear that some drunk idiot defaced it.

Posted by TenrSinger on January 5, 2012 at 4:51 PM

Nice to handle and nice to hold, but once you rub your bare ass all over it (and pee all over it) consider it SOLD!

Posted by Senor Guy on January 5, 2012 at 4:55 PM

It totally depends on the woman whom the ass belongs to. I agree w/ the gallery, some drunken Denver bitch's ass totally reduces the value of the painting.

Posted by Some Old Nobodaddy Logged In on January 5, 2012 at 5:37 PM