Artwork by Cy Twombly, with the blank canvas (2nd R) that was vandalised with a kiss
Rindy SamAVIGNON, France (AFP) — French prosecutors Tuesday requested a hefty fine and a civics course against a woman who planted a lipstick-red kiss on the pure white canvas of a two-million-euro artwork by US artist Cy Twombly.
The trial comes days after a drunken gang broke into the Musee d'Orsay in Paris and punched a hole in a painting by the French Impressionist Claude Monet, sparking a debate about security in French museums.
Cambodian-born artist Rindy Sam, 30, was arrested in July after reaching out to smack a crimson kiss on the Twombly painting during a show dedicated to the US painter in the southern French city of Avignon.
"I just gave it a kiss," the young woman told the court. "It was an act of love, when I kissed it, I wasn't thinking. I thought the artist would understand."
Rindy issued a statement distancing herself from the vandals who damaged the Monet work: "On the one hand you have a revoltingly bestial act of cruelty, on the other a pure, intense act of love. Rindy's gesture was an artistic act provoked by the power of art."
But the prosecution demanded a 4,500-euro (6,300-dollar) fine and a civic education course as punishment for what it called a form of "cannibalism", though it said the young woman "clearly does not realise what she has done."
Agnes Tricoire, lawyer for the plaintiffs, said the kiss was "as aggressive as a punch," causing damage that was just as hard to restore.
"I do not share the same vision of love. For me love requires the consent of both sides," she said.
"I expect compensation for my clients, the artist Cy Twombly whose work has been altered, the Lambert collection whose exhibition was ruined by this business and Mr Lambert, owner of the work vandalised by Miss Rindy Sam."
The untitled work three metres by two (roughly nine feet by six), is valued at two million euros (2.8 million dollars).
A verdict is due in the coming weeks.
The trial comes days after a drunken gang broke into the Musee d'Orsay in Paris and punched a hole in a painting by the French Impressionist Claude Monet, sparking a debate about security in French museums.
Cambodian-born artist Rindy Sam, 30, was arrested in July after reaching out to smack a crimson kiss on the Twombly painting during a show dedicated to the US painter in the southern French city of Avignon.
"I just gave it a kiss," the young woman told the court. "It was an act of love, when I kissed it, I wasn't thinking. I thought the artist would understand."
Rindy issued a statement distancing herself from the vandals who damaged the Monet work: "On the one hand you have a revoltingly bestial act of cruelty, on the other a pure, intense act of love. Rindy's gesture was an artistic act provoked by the power of art."
But the prosecution demanded a 4,500-euro (6,300-dollar) fine and a civic education course as punishment for what it called a form of "cannibalism", though it said the young woman "clearly does not realise what she has done."
Agnes Tricoire, lawyer for the plaintiffs, said the kiss was "as aggressive as a punch," causing damage that was just as hard to restore.
"I do not share the same vision of love. For me love requires the consent of both sides," she said.
"I expect compensation for my clients, the artist Cy Twombly whose work has been altered, the Lambert collection whose exhibition was ruined by this business and Mr Lambert, owner of the work vandalised by Miss Rindy Sam."
The untitled work three metres by two (roughly nine feet by six), is valued at two million euros (2.8 million dollars).
A verdict is due in the coming weeks.
21 comments:
What is the big deal? Just paint over the lipstick with a matched paint. Don't tell me the French can't produce a matching white paint. You needn't to penalize anyone for that.
What a stupid broad? . Next time just grab a boy near by and kiss not an exibited painting.
lesson learn for her stupidity
I think the museum administrator is trying to make money on Khmer people. If it was a French people who did that, I don't think they will used the same measure as they did with our people. Hell, I am sure I can repaired the damn white canvas for less than 10 euro. Why the hell do they have to spend thousands of euro in court for such a stupid case? What type of bullshit is that?
Hey, anyone in France is going to protest against the museum? Come on, get about a dozen people together to pressure the damn museum to drop the charge.
Here's an idea, just go to the local art store, and get an estimate on how much it cost to repair a tiny spot on the stupid white canvas. And give that to the Museum administrator or the court.
Go, go, go, what happened to the Khmer help khmer shit? is that all talk or what?
mouh mouah, these French people are sentimental. "Oh Henri!" Please give me a break! Its a blank canvas that is value at 2.8 million Euros!
These people are simple-minded. They will pay for the bugger you dig out of your nose and place it on a canvas. Probably that will give you 5 million Euros! Just call it art next time you take a shit and slab on a canvas to make money.
Oh merde! On est vraiment mechant; Damned the Frenchies, you're such a meanie! lolz
Is there any better reason to press charge against Rindy Sam? Could Cy Twombly a money or fame monger?
That's brutish thing I ever heard filing a case on someone who just love her artwork.
I wonder I how much does it cost just to remove a lipstick imprint from the art?
It seems that it would cost 4,500-euro (6,300-dollar) just to remove the lipstick from the art!
This is a very good example of how the Western World economic system really works! Do you know how many people get employ because of Rindy Sam mistake?
Alright folk here is it!
First Rindy Sam goes to court and the judge have job to do and get pay and she will pay the court fee too and the court make money!
Second the prosecutors have a job to do and get pay!(more than one)
Agnes Tricoire, lawyer for the plaintiffs also has a job to do and get pay!
Artist CY Twombly also makes money from Rindy Sam!
Mr. Lambert, owner of the work vandalized by Miss Rindy Sam."
Also make money by charge entrance fee!
In all there are five people get employ from Miss Rindy Sam mistake!
Now if AH HUN SEN Vietcong puppet wants to create jobs for dirt poor Cambodian people and here is the system! This is what I can tell you and If I were a Prime Minister of Cambodia and I certainly don't have a hard time in creating jobs and more jobs for dirt poor Cambodian people and by the way with a good wage that they can live on! It is senseless to see dirt poor Cambodian people risk their life to go to Thailane and other countries just to have a job!
No thanks, 10:31, we rather slave for Yuon Hanoi instead causing hardship to our own people by taking their hard earned money and give it to lawyers.
Hey, I heard Sam Rainsy is in France now. Drag his ass over to help out.
Damn with all the support from Ah Khmer-French, I hope Ah Sam Rainsy can pull some string to get the girl (mee Khmer-French also) out of the mess. I am sure he'll blown all sort of whistles had the Khmer government treated the girl that way here.
If the painting is mine, and i knew i could sell for millions and suddenly somebody ruin it, man, i am going to chop that person to pieces.So little bitch think what you have done to the owner?
I agree with you, if it is a complex painting that is not restoratives, but that is not the case here. The damage can be repaired rather cheaply and it is not right to make it more costly than it has to be.
Anyhow, it is rather universal that if you accidentally damage someone else property, you are only responsible to repair the damage. This is consistent with if you scratched someone car, you only responsible to repair the scratch, not beyond that.
12:22am
For the collectors who are willing to spend millions for the painting will not accept damaged painting period no matter what .So don't compare damage to the car and damage to the painting ,it's world different.People who collected that type of painting are nobody but millionaires and so forth , they bought for their mansions and for their children.I feel sorry for the owner who spend months or year to paint and have to deal with this lost.
Yeah yeah, nothing but GREEDY!
She;s an artist, they should know what to do with a slight paint on their canvas, perhaps she's too stupid to know what to do or just plain GREEDY. Come on guys.
Although I wouldn't do something like that, still I think the artist is greedy.
So for the "ACT OF LOVE" Rindy Sam said and I agree with her! For example, there are people and doctors who are willing to help their love to commit suicide to end the pain and the suffering and some people called “ASSISTED SUICIDE" is an act of love too! So what you do thing about that! I can't believe for a moment that some people treat this piece of art as it was human but it is not!
I had seen how scientists restore the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel in Italy with acid and I didn't see people were complaining and crying and to turn a simple kiss of lipstick on a piece of art into media frenzy is outrageous! It is kind a sad that she is the only one that got caught for kissing the art and what about those people who also vandalized didn't get caught and would they receive the same treatment as her?
Oh well! It is what you called bad luck!
To 2:12PM
Now you know why AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave wouldn't dare pass ANTI-CORRUPTION LAW because more Cambodian people will be employed and have a job to do!
So if AH HUN SEN want to create more jobs and he can do Cambodian people a favor by passing ANTI-CORRUPTION LAW!
Wrong, PM Hun Sen call for the parliament to pass Anti-Corruption law long ago. He's a just a PM, he can't pass law by himself, although I really wished he could.
On the other hand, Law Makers like Ah Sam Rainshit, Son Chay, ... , doesn't appeared to care about Anti-Corruption laws at all. They seems to have more interest in the Burmese's affair or the comming election. People have drop dead left and right from lack of jobs, and they didn't even noticed it.
2:00, you need not to compare the damaged cavas to a scratch on the car. It is good for all damages including injury to a person or beloved pet. If you accidentally elbows someone and broke their teeth or nose, you only have to pay for medical bill to cure their nose or beloved pet injury. You don't have to pay for the guy or pet cancer treatment, or his retirement or other shits.
And no doubt that the artist is greedy, 5:55. If he's a nice artist, he would not have stretched this case out of proportion. He has extra the white paint to repair the tiny lipstick stain, it wouldn't even cost him 1 euro. For us to repair it, it will cost us a little more because we have to match the white paint exactly.
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