Europe 1 with AFP 11:46 a.m., March 10, 2024
An element of a paper work was set on fire on Saturday at the Vannes Museum of Fine Arts (Morbihan), just one hour after the opening to the public of an exhibition, we learned on Sunday from the town hall which denounces “an act of gratuitous vandalism”.
It is a strip of paper eight meters long, part of a monumental work commissioned by the city from the artist Salomé Fauc for an exhibition at the Musée de la Cohue, which was completely destroyed by the flames.
A police investigation has been opened, Fabien Le Guernevé, first deputy mayor of Vannes and responsible for culture, told AFP.
But for him "there is no doubt that it is a voluntary act, we see it very clearly on the video surveillance" of which the police recovered the images.
The Vannes town hall, as well as the artist whose work was damaged, will file a complaint, said Mr. Le Guernevé.
“A gratuitous act of vandalism”
According to him, the work in question has no political or polemical character.
“It is an act of gratuitous vandalism, there was no political or committed demand, it has nothing to do with those who throw soup on the tables,” added the first deputy.
The strip of paper burned very quickly and the fire fortunately did not spread to neighboring strips or to the wooden frame of the museum, which however had to be evacuated by the firefighters due to the smoke.
The museum was able to reopen on Saturday afternoon but the temporary exhibition devoted to the works of Salomé Fauc remained closed this Sunday and will not reopen until Tuesday.
The town hall of Vannes has placed an order with the artist so that it can replace the destroyed strip and so that his work can once again be exhibited in full, underlined Mr. Le Guernevé.