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The damaged work of art
Photo: MINWOO PARK / REUTERS
Two young people in Seoul thought they were part of a hands-on work of art - and inadvertently became vandals.
Because of the brush and paint that were placed in front of a graffiti work of art, the couple believed that it was intended for visitors.
"They thought they were allowed to do it as participatory art and made a mistake," the Seoul exhibition director told Reuters.
After employees discovered the new brushstrokes, footage from the surveillance camera identified the random vandals, a man and a woman in their twenties.
The untitled work is valued at about $ 500,000.
It was painted in front of an audience in Seoul in 2016 by the American graffiti artist JonOne.
It has since been exhibited in various locations, along with the paints and brushes used for the live performance - which are considered an integral part of the artwork.
Kang Wook, the director of the exhibition at Lotte World Mall in Seoul, told Reuters that discussions are currently underway with the artist about whether the work should be restored.
The police quickly found the couple, but the organizers decided not to file a complaint.
But now a small fence is to be put up in front of the graffiti - including signs with the inscription »Don't touch«.
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