Museum volunteer ruins artwork by ‘cleaning’ it with toilet paper

There are those of us who are clean-freaks and those who are not.

For some, the temptation is too irresistible not to wipe away the water rings on the coffee table or the dust on our reflection.

That’s exactly what one well-meaning volunteer did when he mistook a work of art for a mirror.

The Keelung Museum of Art in Taiwan this week showcased a contemporary art exhibition, which featured a dust-covered mirror on a plain wooden board.

It was created by Chen Sung-chih and had a smudge in the middle, which was meant to symbolise the cultural consciousness of the middle-class.

But the museum volunteer mistakenly thought the artwork was dusty – and took it upon himself to wipe it down with toilet paper.

The 40 years of dust was mostly cleaned off before colleagues intervened – but the artwork could not be fully restored to its original appearance.

The piece was part of the museum’s We Are Me exhibition which features works made from building materials and household objects.

Chen’s installation reconstructs everyday objects to explore themes of memory, ritual and transformation.

Dust-covered old mirrors and mesh fabrics are integrated with raw panels to symbolise disappearance and flux, while reflecting on human persistence and change.

Keelung’s Culture and Tourism Bureau has apologised to the artist – and could now face paying out compensation for the damage.

But lawyer Tsai Chia-hao said wiping away dust from an artwork may not constitute tangible property damage, which could affect the artist’s ability to claim for compensation.

And some critics have said the accidental wipe is now part of the piece and should be left as it is.

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