Collectors Want to Buy Bits of Jeff Koons' Shattered 'Balloon Dog' After Art Show Mishap Creates Buzz

It might be broken — but Jeff Koons' “Balloon Dog” sculpture that was shattered at Miami’s Art Wynwood event last week is still generating buzz in the art world.

The $42,000 piecewas destroyedlast Thursday when a female art collector reportedly caused the shiny blue porcelain figure to topple over at the annual contemporary art fair.

However, some collectors are still interested in purchasing the piece — or pieces, rather.

“Some collectors offered tobuy the shards,” Bel-Air Fine Art district manager Cédric Boero told CBS News, adding, “we are still receiving offers as we speak.”

Among those showing interest is pop artist and collector Stephen Gamson, who said he was at the opening for Art Wynwood when the incident occurred.

“I actually witnessed the whole thing,” Gamson wrote Sunday on Instagram, calling it “one of themost crazy thingsI’ve ever seen.”

Artist Stephen Gamson | @GamsonArt

Gamson previously told theMiami Heraldhe wondered at first if the incident was part of a “performance,” but later realized it was an accident. Now, he hopes to purchase the broken sculpture himself.

“You will see this all over the news in over 30 countries and in many different languages,” the artist said on Instagram. “It’s going global.”

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Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty

Koons' animal balloon figures — 799 were created of various sizes and colors — are some of the most expensive contemporary art pieces ever sold.

So, Boero is not surprised to see collectors showing interest in Koons' sculpture, according to CBS News.

“Bel-Air Fine Art has a 20-years long investment-oriented reputation,” he explained. “That, plus a famous Koons piece created the hype.”

Plus, there is one less “Balloon Dog” in the world.

source: people.com