This guy at the gallery was leaning on a plinth used to display my sculpture for almost 10min; while the awards were being presented, we were at the back of the room, so everyone was looking forward. Every time he moved, so did the plinth and the sculpture would wobble. He even put his phone on the plinth, and his hand was covering the title. I couldn't stand it any more. I had to say something. So I went up to him with a smile on my face and politely said "if you break it, you pay for it". He thought I was joking and looked me in the eye and shook the plinth again to prove he was not moving.
So I walked away. He continued to have his whole forearm on the plinth now, and the plinth would again wobble every time he moved. The plinths are hollow, made of thin wood, painted white, and over 1 meter tall.
So I approached him again. I said
" I'm the artist and could do with another $1500 in my pocket, so go right ahead and shake away". He then reluctantly picked up his phone and arm and moved away. Then the rest of the night, he and his three friends pretended to fall on the plinth and sculpture while laughing out loud while looking in my direction for a response.
I walked away at this point. The best part is his friend won the print section. This sums it up for me; if someone stuffs up or rips up his winning print, he can print another one, and it will be perfect.
If they break my sculpture, I will never be able to make another one. It would never be the same if I glued it back together.
Seriously grow up!!!!!!!!!!!!
And the fact you three guys thought it was a joke and made fun of falling on my sculpture in a gallery full of people is disrespectful to me and art in general.
You did all this in front of my young adult son; you disrespected me, my art, and my family.
If I didn't have my son there, I would have to walk to my car at night, knowing you three were in public.
Even if I called security, I would be alone when I was out of the gallery.
It's a big fat joke for you three to make fun of a woman that's 5 foot nothing in public; I'm such an easy target. You won't be the first, and you won't be the last.
The age of men that are involved is around 50-60 years old. You are meant to be role models for younger men. Instead, you are the opposite.
If you guys are genuinely sorry for what you did to me in public, then make amends and donate to a women's shelter.
All you had to do was walk away, and no one in a gallery would lean on a plinth; it's common sense.
In making this ceramic bust it requires two firings, glazing, driving to the potters club serval times over serval weeks to use the kiln, each firing takes about three days, organising bookings of the kiln, painting, ordering clay, building the bust, experimenting with techniques and clay, it's not just hours its weeks of work.
While I have Public Liability, it's too expensive to insure my art from damages from events like this. The gallery won't usually cover it, and the art society definitely won't, for the same reason.
I wrote to the gallery, and they responded they would let security walk me to my car; if he broke my sculpture, they would cover it. Not one to make a scene, but it looks like it might pay to do so.
