24 February 2014

Rubbish

From time to time there are stories of cleaners mistakenly clearing and throwing out modern art work.  One would have to be particularly dedicated to modern art, and po-faced, (or the artist!) not to snigger.
The latest report comes from Bari in Italy where a cleaner has thrown out a work by Sala Murat.  Given that the work is described as “newspaper and cardboard and cookie pieces scattered across the floor”, it sounds like a cleaner-magnet.  Apparently it is valued at €10,000.
The apologetic cleaning firm, which presumably wants to maintain its relationship with the gallery, has said that its insurance would cover the matter.  I wonder if that is right.  If I were acting for the insurers, I would require the insured to defend any claim by the gallery on the basis that the loss was caused by its negligence.  It should have anticipated the potential loss and left a sign for the cleaners saying “Not to be removed”. Normally such a sign might say “Not rubbish”, but perhaps that wouldn’t be true in this case.

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