Modern art is not trash...

[Hottentot]

...Modern trash is art. Apparently someone hadn't yet heard the saying, though, because according to The Local...

A cleaning woman at a museum in Dortmund who mistook a Martin Kippenberger sculpture for an unsightly mess has destroyed the valuable artwork beyond recognition.

It's like straight from a parody sketch or a comic strip, but then again, I sometimes wonder how it doesn't happen more often, museums being public places and all.

Sad, though. I'm not especially fond of art museums, but I feel for them in this case. Probably one of the worst things you can imagine hearing in a museum is "oops." And while I have every ounce of respect for the conservators, the museum's spokewoman is likely right in this case. Must be fun explaining that to the private collector who borrowed it to them.