AN artist who poured black ink over a gallery exhibit of a dead sheep
by the controversial artist Damien Hirst was convicted yesterday of
causing criminal damage.
Mark Bridger, 35, poured the ink in ''an act of inspiration'' over the
white sheep pickled in formaldehyde while it was on display at London's
Serpentine Gallery.
It cost #1000 to remove the ink from the #25,000 exhibit, entitled
Away from the Flock '94.
Bridger, of Honeywood House, Shotover Hill, Oxford, had denied causing
criminal damage, arguing that what he did constituted an artistic act.
He told Bow Street magistrates that he had been inspired by ''the idea
of changing it and calling it 'A Black Sheep'.''
He said of Mr Hirst's work: ''The art is there for the creation of
awareness. So I thought that he wouldn't, in effect, be against my
breach of convention.''
The magistrates found him guilty, but conditionally discharged him for
two years. No order for compensation was made due to Bridger's
''insufficient means''.
Mr Chuck Nduka-Eze, prosecuting, had suggested Bridger acted out of
jealousy in pouring the ink on the sheep and intended to draw attention
to himself.
Mr Howard Wilson, defending, said: ''The action of putting the ink
into the tank did not alter its value. The item was sold for #25,000.''
He argued that for the act to be criminal damage it had to affect the
value or ''the performance'' of the property.
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