Four women have found themselves in deep trouble as they deal with the repercussions of a selfie that ended up damaging artwork from two of the globe’s most well-known artists, according to reports from People.
Everything kicked off on October 27, when the four women made a trip to the International Arts Center Main Avenue in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The center is the home to Francisco Goya’s etching from the Los Caprichos series as well as Salvador Dali’s interpretation of it, which are the pieces of art that the women intended to photograph.
In a surveillance video that was released by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), three people are shown doing what appears to be observing the artwork, while another appears to be taking a photo. While all of that was going on, the artwork suddenly falls over.
In the corner of the room, one of the tourists appears to be standing frozen in shock, while the group begins to gather around the fallen artwork to see the amount of damage caused.
Speaking to the Russian news agency TASS, an employee who worked at the Arts Center said, “A group of girls — there were four of them — behaved inadequately. As a result, they damaged two works of art, which were on display in a tandem: pictures by Francisco Goya and Salvador Dali.”
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As for the extent of the damage caused by the actions of the tourists, the employee said that while the work by Goya had only had its glass and frame damaged, the art piece by Dali saw actual damage to the picture alongside the damage to the glass and frame.
The employee went on to say, “The incident is being investigated. The works of art are being examined by specialists.”
In the aftermath of the incident, the deputy director of the gallery sent a written request to Russian officials requesting that the group who caused the damage receive prosecution.
While the Russian police have opened up an investigation into the damage caused by the tourists, based on current reports they have no intention of pressing forward with any type of criminal case against the women.
The full extent of the damage caused by the fallen artwork has yet to be disclosed. This would include the cost of the damage if the women are pursued, as well as any other legal consequences that would come about due to their actions.
