![\"Before](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_273523001-31e7.jpg\")
\n\t\tBefore and after the artwork was ruined (Picture: Jam Press)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tBefore and after the artwork was ruined (Picture: Jam Press)<\/p>\n
There are those of us who are clean-freaks and those who are not. <\/p>\n
For some, the temptation is too irresistible not to wipe away the water rings on the coffee<\/a> table or the dust on our reflection.<\/p>\n That\u2019s exactly what one well-meaning volunteer<\/a> did when he mistook a work<\/a> of art for a mirror. <\/p>\n The Keelung Museum of Art in Taiwan<\/a> this week showcased a contemporary art exhibition, which featured a dust-covered mirror on a plain wooden board.<\/p>\n It was created by Chen Sung-chih and had a smudge in the middle, which was meant to symbolise the cultural consciousness of the middle-class.<\/p>\n But the museum volunteer mistakenly thought the artwork was dusty \u2013 and took it upon himself to wipe it down with toilet paper.<\/p>\n The 40 years of dust was mostly cleaned off before colleagues intervened \u2013 but the artwork could not be fully restored to its original appearance.<\/p>\n \t\t The piece was part of the museum\u2019s We Are Me exhibition which features works made from building materials and household objects.<\/p>\n Chen\u2019s installation reconstructs everyday objects to explore themes of memory, ritual and transformation.<\/p>\n Dust-covered old mirrors and mesh fabrics are integrated with raw panels to symbolise disappearance and flux, while reflecting on human persistence and change.<\/p>\n Keelung\u2019s Culture and Tourism Bureau has apologised to the artist \u2013 and could now face paying out compensation for the damage. <\/p>\n \t\t But lawyer Tsai Chia-hao said wiping away dust from an artwork may not constitute tangible property damage, which could affect the artist\u2019s ability to claim for compensation.<\/p>\n And some critics have said the accidental wipe is now part of the piece and should be left as it is.<\/p>\n Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n For more stories like this, <\/strong>check our news page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Keelung\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_273395936-9d48.jpg\")
\n\t\tKeelung\u2019s Culture and Tourism Bureau could face paying out compensation for the damage (Picture: Jam Press)<\/p>\n![\"But](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_273395935-bc26.jpg\")
\n\t\tBut critics have said the piece of art should be left as it is (Picture: Jam Press)<\/p>\n
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