Art Gallery of NSW exhibition closes early as security contractor damages paintings

An ‘isolated incident’ at the major institution caused minor damage to three paintings, forcing a commissioned exhibition to be closed a month early.

An installation view of Mitch Cairns: Restless Legs at the Art Gallery of NSW. Photo: AGNSW/ Mim Stirling/Facebook

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Damage to artworks inflicted by a security contractor forced an exhibition at a major state-run gallery to close early.

Three paintings in the exhibition by Mitch Cairns at the Art Gallery of NSW were damaged, allegedly because of the actions of a security guard, reportedly captured on CCTV. The external contractor is understood to no longer be working at the gallery and to have been at the institution for less than a year.

The Australian understands the damage was the result of contracted security staff member experiencing a mental health episode, and the artworks were not targeted.

An aerial view of the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ Naala Badu building. Photo: Iwan Baan

Damage to the three paintings is understood to be minimal, with conservation works underway on them before the show travels to Woollongong Art Gallery from September 6.

This is the first incident of its kind at the prestigious institution. In a statement, a spokesperson said the show was closed “earlier than planned because of an isolated incident where a small number of artworks were interfered with”.

“The impact has been assessed by the artist and the AGNSW’s conservation team, and artwork restoration is under way,” they said. “Protection and presentation of artworks remains the gallery’s top priority; processes are being re­viewed, and we are working with the artist and conservation team to resolve the issue.”

The AGNSW employs 26 effective full-time security staff, as well as contracted gallery officers with an external operator.

The exhibition titled Restless Legs was set to run until June 15 in the art gallery’s new building, Naala Badu, but closed over a month early on May 12.

Curatorial text for the exhibition describes its content as being informed by the artist’s “literary interests and influences, his inner-city locale and the humour and pathos of daily life”.

The show was on display as part of the gallery’s ongoing Contemporary Projects series, which commissions exhibitions from NSW-based contemporary artists.

Staff were told the show was temporarily closed for maintenance, and later advised that the exhibition would not reopen.