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This Selfie Cost $200,000

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
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By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 14, 2017, 9:29 AM ET
500269515
woman holding up mobile for selfiePhotograph by Tara Moore — Getty Images

Selfies can be narcissistic. They can be life-threatening. But they’ve rarely been this expensive.

A patron of the arts in Los Angeles learned this the hard way recently when she tried to get a selfie of herself at an exhibit, lost her balance and … well, maybe it’s best if you just see for yourself. (Keep an eye on the upper right corner of the screen.)

That stumble and the domino-like effect it started permanently damaged three sculptures and caused varying degrees of damage to several others, one of the exhibiting artists told Hyperallergic. The approximate total cost of those damages came in at $200,000.

Ironically, the exhibit, which was a series of crown-like objects made from everything from scrap metal to gold, had been recently described by an LA Times critic as a “series of wondrous, over-the-top sets for the perfect selfie.”

The exhibit, featuring work from Hong Kong-artist Simon Birch, Gabriel Chan, Jacob Blitzer, and Gloria Yu, will remain open through the end of the month at The 14th Factory. Selfies are still allowed, but make sure your footing is a bit more secure than previous visitors.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

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