Woman Arrested for Kissing $2.7 Million Dollar Painting

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed)
Jul 25th 2007 at 7:02PM

Normally a kiss as a sign of affection is a good thing, but when it happens in an art gallery on a $2.7 million dollar painting it's not only not a good thing -- it's a crime. It happened last Thursday in the Museum of Contemporary Art in Avignon, France. The woman, 30-year-old Sam Rindy, had apparently been admiring a 9'x6' bone white painting by Cy Twombly valued at over £1 million and was suddenly overcome and just had to kiss it. She's quoted as saying "The artist left this white for me."

Yeah, well it's not white anymore since there's a lipstick imprint left behind. Ms. Rindy is awaiting trial on August 16 for "damage to a work of art."

How stupid can you be?

Tags: arrested, art, crime, crimes, cy twombly, CyTwombly, kiss, kissed, kissing, painting, twombly

Filed under: Art

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Reader Comments (Page 8 of 8)

James Coats Jul 31st 2007 2:38PM

She had a terrible passion and just needed to kiss another, so she did (albeit the painting). Due to her neglected dating life, at least she felt she could get her emotional release satisfied this way. She never dreamed it would end up in her getting her obsessively desired date (which is what she truely desired). To bad the date is with a courthouse, maybe she'll kiss it too.

buns77 Aug 1st 2007 5:04PM

Because of all the publicity this painting has received over the kiss it's probably worth double (she should get half for more lipstick).

lita Jul 31st 2007 3:15PM

Rachel (no. 10) says, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt..."

Ah, another nut job adding nothing to the discussion at hand but the sound of her own voice. Idiots who inject religion into everything do more harm to religion than those who openly trash it.

Having said that, instead of showing a close up of big red lips, there should have been before and after photographs of the artwork so that we as readers could make a more informed comments...assuming that is what is wanted here.

G-Man714 Jul 31st 2007 3:47PM

Are you people joking? You are not art experts. Who cares whether you think the work of art is worth it. This is vandalism. How would you feel if someone spray-painted your worthless car? It's still yours, and nobody else has the right to do anything to it without your permission. This is the USA, remember? Snap out of it, people.

blondevixen Jul 31st 2007 4:10PM

was she blonde?.....hey watch it with the blonde jokes!

Mario Jul 31st 2007 3:49PM

That's why insurance is for. Protect your value.

Theresa Jul 31st 2007 4:43PM

Ok, that woman just wore WAYYYY too much lipstick. Ugh...reminds me of the times old grandmas would leave hideous color lip prints on kids' cheeks. If you're gonna walk around slobbering on paintings, at least make sure you're not wearing half a tube of lipstick. LOL

Eddie Gamble Jul 31st 2007 5:06PM

If "My Baby Does The Hanky Panky" can sell millions of rcords and make the artist and the writer milionaires,,,,,if Sylvester Stallone can get $20 million per movie, if Alex Rodriguez can get millions of dollars for being a great athlete (sometimes),,,,,then any painting can be worth whatever anybody is willing to pay for it

rjmessner Jul 31st 2007 5:14PM

Oh come on people, this is just another example of people not respecting each other. I understand loving something so much that you want to touch and uh...mabey kiss it, but please it a peice of art( even if we all dont agree about that). It is a shame that there is no respect for others belongings anymore. This world is going to hell one misplaced kiss at a time.

randy Aug 1st 2007 9:18AM

way too much a do about nothing! all of us have wasted valuable time with this non story! we should be petitioning washington dc with e-mails, phone calls & post cards about matters of importance!

Lewis Jul 31st 2007 8:07PM

I LIKE PIZZA!!!

Tim Jul 31st 2007 11:07PM

It isn't that easy to make me laugh at things I see stupid around me. But now this one really knocks me off my feet. LOL GOD HAVE MECRY!!! If this woman has a man I hope she gives him that type of attitude at any time he has the feeling he deserves it. But what an the hell is this going to her for jokes an laughs of her all around the world in bars, at parties, an other spots to bring up an automatic laugh into the picture. She always will be remembered. I'm sorry Honey but that kiss just wasn't PRICELESS!! It did come down with a cost. But it was still mighty strong an HIGH.

rafael Aug 1st 2007 4:28AM

I think I now would like to see "the painting " not before

nicoles Aug 1st 2007 10:06AM

I agree with one of the commenters, just hire some gurards. The painting isn't worth so much and she probably just wants some attention. I think she needs a spanking and to pay some restitution though for her act of pure lack of respect and immaturity unless of course she is a "nutcase".

Robert R. Cobb Aug 1st 2007 10:01AM

Cy Twombly's painting can be restored, as I am sure it will be. Obviously, Cy did not leave the painting white for Sam Rindy's lips to kiss. This kind of makes me wonder what other artifacts Sam's lips may have touched in other heats of passion! (And, at what price?)

ada Aug 1st 2007 10:28AM

#9 Thtas the problem with this world too many new medications out there...

Tammy Aug 1st 2007 10:56AM

I am sorry the woman felt the need to do what she did as she ruined a piece of someone else's expressive and obviously appreciated work of Art. Regardless of the value others place on the "art" itself, her behavior was an ill-mannered and destructive action...a growing disease around the world, fueled by the Godlessness in the hearts of mankind today..
without the teachings of Jesus being used daily it is what is to be expected by the multitudes as is shown in many of the responses here...these actions and words of mankind are not new and they have increased steadily..it is all foretold, even the fact that the majority reading this will react in a way that is not pleasing to The Lord, and may feel the need to "attack" my words is foretold...I pray for you all, that you will allow your heart to hear God and allow His Grace to lead you In His Purpose for your life, through Jesus Christ His ONLY Begotten Son. Amen P.S. You can find the foretod predictions and answers in The Holy Bible!
To Rachel...I applaud your response and add.."Forgive them Father, they know not what they do", and to kw33040luv...I say that your response to Rachel is exactly the very response most people today have because they do not know The Bible which is sorely needed in our ever increasing sad state of affairs around the world. The Planet she dropped off of is one in which you will one day pray to be on.

diversity2007 Nov 8th 2007 2:11PM

kw33040luv, it's not just a poetic quote, it's words directly from the Bible and that means words of God, it essentially means do not treasure these things of earth and the false idols we create here, but those things truly of Heaven and you will be rewarde much more. It's a sad world in which we live that they would put such rediculous prices and values on something that really is trash in the whole picture of things... These things of earth are only of monetary value and won't be worth spit when all is said and done. Although the other phrase is "Give to Ceasar that which is his" the rest you are to Give to the Creator... Just words that have existed for ions....