Updated:2006-03-01 14:29:09
Boy Sticks Gum on $1.5 Million Museum Painting
AP
DETROIT (Jen. 28) - The Detroit Institute of Arts is stuck with having to repair a painting worth $1.5 million dollars.


It has to remove a stain left by a wad of gum stuck on the painting by a 12-year-old visitor.


It happened Friday. Museum officials say the boy was with a group from Holly Academy in Oakland County when he took the gum out of his mouth and stuck it on Helen Frankenthaler's 1963 abstract painting "The Bay."


The gum didn't stick to the fiber of the canvas, but left a stain the size of a quarter. Museum experts are researching the chemicals in the gum to decide how to clean the painting.


The boy was suspended from school.

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Ok, can you say 'brat'?

Elect me world leader and I'll give the boy a public flogging.

Thats alright, he prolly wont be seen again...

Art lovers dont put up with kids

He he he...my art teacher'll go nuts when he finds out...can I get a link to e-mail him?

It's on yahoo.

Figures I don't see it, even though that is my e-mail.

I'm suprised that they don't protect their paintings with like, a thin layer of clear glass, or something like that. But yeah, someone needs a public spanking.

The 1963 painting, which remains on display, is considered one of the most important modern works in the Detroit museum's collection, the newspaper said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/01/AR2006030101977.html

The boy has been suspended from Holly Academy and has been disciplined by his parents.

The school's director Julie Kildee says, "Even though we give very strict guidelines on proper behavior and we hold students to high standards, he is only 12 and I don't think he understood the ramifications of what he did before it happened, but he certainly understands the severity of it now."

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7002613569

Park Kraken

I'm suprised that they don't protect their paintings with like, a thin layer of clear glass, or something like that. But yeah, someone needs a public spanking.

Seems kinda dumb to leave 1.5 Mil sitting in the open for anyone to touch, smell or ... stick gum on.

*Uhhh, sir, we have this weird white gel like substance all over the Mona Lisa painting...*