Man accidentally wipes away 40 years of ‘artistic dust’ in Taiwan Museum

A volunteer at the Keelung Museum of Art in Taiwan unintentionally damaged a contemporary artwork after mistaking it for a dusty surface.

The artwork by Taiwanese artist Chen Sung-chih—a dust-covered mirror on a wooden board—was part of the “We Are Me” exhibition, symbolising middle-class cultural consciousness. The volunteer, believing the display needed cleaning, wiped it down with toilet paper.

Most of the 40-year layer of dust was removed before colleagues intervened, but the piece could not be fully restored. Chen’s work, crafted from building materials and household items such as mirrors and mesh fabrics, explored themes of memory, disappearance, and transformation.

The Keelung Culture and Tourism Bureau has apologised to the artist and may be liable for compensation. However, lawyer Tsai Chia-hao noted that since the cleaning did not cause physical damage, the artist’s compensation claim might be limited.

Some critics have suggested that the incident itself has become part of the artwork’s evolving story.