Cleaner Mistakes $14K Worth of Art for Trash, Tosses It

Debris scattered on ground was actually part of display
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 20, 2014 1:02 PM CST
Cleaner Mistakes $14K Worth of Art for Trash, Tosses It
Stock image   (Shutterstock)

Whoops: A cleaner at an art exhibition in Italy threw away some pieces of cardboard, cookies, and newspaper that were strewn on the floor ... not realizing they were actually part of artist Sala Murat's display. She assumed the debris was trash left behind while the display was being set up; security noticed pieces of the work were missing when the exhibit opened yesterday, but by then it had already been given to trash collectors, the BBC reports, citing local media. A rep from the cleaning firm says insurance will cover the art's value, estimated to be nearly $14,000.

"It's clear the cleaning person did not realize she had thrown away two works and their value," the city marketing commissioner says. "But this is all about the artists who have been able to better interpret the meaning of contemporary art, which is to interact with the environment." (More art stories.)

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