Jeff Koons 'balloon dog' sculpture valued at over $40,000 accidentally shattered at Miami art festival

Jeff Koons and Michel Bernardaud stand with Koons' blue balloon dog sculpture in Nov. 2021. Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

• A balloon dog sculpture from artist Jeff Koons was accidentally broken at an art festival in Miami.
• A woman attending the event allegedly tapped the sculpture, and it fell off its stand.
• The incident will be forgiven as the work was insured, an art advisor told the Miami Herald.

One of Jeff Koons' famous "balloon dog" sculptures was broken at an art festival in Miami this week after a woman allegedly tapped the sculpture and it fell off its stand, shattering into pieces.

The small glass sculpture, valued at $42,000, was on display during a VIP preview event for Art Wynwood when it was broken Thursday evening, according to the Miami Herald.

An art advisor at the event told the Herald the woman who broke the sculpture was an art collector who broke it by accident, and said the incident will be forgiven as the artwork was covered by insurance.

An artist at the event, Stephen Gamson, told the Herald that he assumed the woman was curious whether the particularly realistic-looking sculpture was actually a balloon, not aware that it was very breakable.

The Herald reported that the sound of the sculpture shattering drew a large crowd, and some wondered whether the piece breaking was part of a larger performance art piece.

The pieces of the sculpture were cleaned up and the event continued, as Gamson wondered whether the broken pieces could eventually sell for more than the original sculpture was worth, according to the Herald.

"I find value in it even when it's broken," Gamson told the Herald. "To me, it's the story. It makes the art even more interesting."

Some of Koons' most famous works include his incredibly realistic balloon animal sculptures, and the world renowned artist has sold works for some of the highest prices ever paid for works from a living artist.

A spokesperson for Koons did not immediately respond to Insider's request to comment.