Security guard at gallery causes horror 'DOODLING on priceless pieces'

A SECURITY GUARD was accused of defacing a Soviet-era painting on his first day on the job.

16:50, Thu, Feb 10, 2022 | UPDATED: 16:50, Thu, Feb 10, 2022

A guard was accused of defacing a Soviet-era painting on his first day on the job

A guard was accused of defacing a Soviet-era painting on his first day on the job (Image: GOOGLE MAPS)

In December, visitors to the Yeltsin Center in Yekaterinburg spotted eyes drawn in ballpoint pen on Anna Leporskaya's work Three Figures. The painting, made between 1932 and 1934, features three abstract, eyeless figures.

The two visitors attended an art exhibition called 'The World as Non-Objectivity. The Birth of a New Art' on December 7 when they spotted the drawings.

The painting, on loan from the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, was then sent to the Moscow gallery the next day and was inspected by an art restorer.

Police have now opened an investigation for vandalism, with comes with a £395 (74.9 million Russian Rubles) fine and a one-year correctional labour sentence.

Visitors to the Yeltsin Center noticed the 'Three Figures' had eyes drawn on

Visitors to the Yeltsin Center noticed the 'Three Figures' had eyes drawn on (Image: GOOGLE MAPS)

According to a restoration expert at State Tretyakov Gallery, the damage can be eliminated without any long-term damage to the artwork.

However, the damage to the painting and cost of restoration has been estimated at £2,470 (RUB 250,000).

Protective screens have since been installed over the other works in the Yeltsin Center's exhibition.

Police have now opened an investigation for vandalism, with comes with a £395 fine

Police have now opened an investigation for vandalism, with comes with a £395 fine (Image: PA)

Alexander Drozdov, Yeltsin Center executive director, said the guard was fired after just one day on the job over the row.

He would not identify the man but said he was from a private security company.

Anna Reshetkina, exhibition curator, added the man allegedly drew the eyes onto the painting with one of the Yeltsin Center's own branded pens, penetrating a layer of the paint.

She told local outlets: “His motives are still unknown but the administration believes it was some kind of a lapse in sanity.”

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Alexander Drozdov said the guard was fired after just one day on the job

Alexander Drozdov said the guard was fired after just one day on the job (Image: PA)

The Yeltsin Center said in a statement released on Tuesday: “We inform you that during the investigation, the person who painted the eyes on the figures in the painting by Anna Leporskaya was identified - this is an employee of a private security organization that carries out security activities of the Yeltsin Center.

“Recall that on December 7, 2021, during the demonstration of the exhibition 'The World as Non-Objectiveness. The Birth of a New Art' in the Art Gallery of the Yeltsin Center suffered a painting by Anna Leporskaya 'Three Figures' (1932–1934) from the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery.

“The damage was done with a ballpoint pen. The work was inspected by the restorer of the State Tretyakov Gallery the very next day and sent to Moscow.

“The painting is being restored, the damage, according to the expert, can be eliminated without consequences for the work of art.

“The Yeltsin Center refrained from commenting on this situation in hot pursuit, as an internal investigation of the incident and interaction with law enforcement agencies were underway.”