A number of works at an exhibition at Gallery 61 at the New York Institute of Technology on Manhattan’s Upper West Side were vandalized Friday, an act that was captured on video surveillance, artnet News has learned. The show is a joint exhibition of work by Stephen Cox and Arezoo Moseni, the latter of whom is an Iranian-born American artist. Both artists reside in New York City. Only Moseni’s work was targeted for defacement. Mr. Cox’s work was not touched.
Moseni told artnet News there were 22 mixed media pieces in the show, as well as several sketchbooks. Except for three pieces, all of the work was being shown for the first time. “The work takes a long time to make,” adding that one damaged piece, Flow #2, had taken her about nine months to complete.
Ms. Moseni said via email that the show’s curator, Jennifer Mitchell-Nevin, informed about it Monday, shortly after she discovered the damage. Of her 22 pieces in the show, 14 were damaged by someone walking through with a razor blade and slashing them. Five pieces from Moseni’s “Solid” series had to be removed from the show and the incident is under investigation by the NYPD. Mr. Cox’s work was not touched.
Moseni told artnet News that the curator is closely examining the video footage. “I am in tears and cannot express how shocking this is…Peace, Arezoo,” her email reads. Ms.Mitchell-Nevin is scheduled to meet with law enforcement officials this afternoon.