Avelina Lésper, controversial Mexican columnist and art critic, accidentally destroyed a sculpture by Gabriel Rico valued at 20,000 USD in Zona Maco.

On February 8, during the “Zona Maco” contemporary art fair, a sculpture valued at $20,000 USD was destroyed by a famous Mexican art critic. Avelina Lesper, who is known for constantly discrediting contemporary art (especially installation, performance and graffiti), stated that everything was the result of an accident while she was pretending to place an empty soda can on the sculpture, in order to capture a photograph and give a speech about the piece.

The sculpture “Nimble and sinister tricks (To Be Preserved with Out Scandal and Corruption)” by Gabriel Rico consisted of a structure of metal tubes that supported a glass plate that was crossed by several objects, including a soccer ball, a knife, a stone and a feather. In a statement by the OMR Gallery, those who represented the artist at their stand in Zona Maco, declared on their social networks that:

“Although it appears to have been accidental and it is irrelevant how it happened, the action of  Mrs. Lesper by getting too close to the work to put a soda can on it and take a photo to make a critique undoubtedly caused the damage, and above all, it is a huge lack of professionalism and respect."

Initially, multiple media outlets released confusing versions, including that the destruction had been part of a performance, that the writer had fled the scene and that the damage to the work had been intentional. However, a fair attendee shared through instagram some videos captured moments after the incident, in which Avelina is seen speaking with the gallery staff, giving her version of the events and explaining that everything had been an accident.

Avelina, for her part, shared a video through the Milenio newspaper in which she stressed that the events were at no time intentional. She also suggested that the work could be displayed broken (comparing the events with the destruction of “The Large Glass”, a work by Marcel Duchamp that is still displayed despite its damage) and that, although she could not pay the original value of the work , offered to remake it.

At this time, it is unknown what arrangement (if any) reached Lésper and the OMR Gallery. On the other hand, both the artist Gabriel Rico and the directors of Zona Maco refrained from issuing statements about the events.