The $3 million Great Sphinx was destroyed when a 66-year-old Florida woman crashed a Rolls-Royce into it. It was designed by British artist Damien Hirst and owned by hedge fund magnate Stephen Tannenbaum.
The unidentified female driver rammed into the backyard of Palm Beach, Florida, before breaching a 5-foot-tall fence and seawall.
Stunning photos released by Palm Beach Police show the car hanging from the seawall with its nose buried in the sand.
Tannanbaum built GoldenTree Asset Management into a $47 billion hedge fund. As of 2023, his net worth is $2.2 billion, according to Benzinga. Art News He hailed Tannanbaum and his wife, Lisa, as one of the Top 200 Art Collectors of 2022.
Tannanbaums said the statue known as “The Sphinx,” part of Hearst’s “Treasures from Incredible Wreckage” series, had sustained significant damage, according to Yahoo news.
Palm Beach police have shared a photo of the $3 million statue – known as the “Sphinx” and part of a larger series – after it was hit by a driver.
A photo released by Palm Beach Police shows the car hanging from the seawall with its nose buried in the sand
The Sphinx is part of a satirical series of sculptures by Hearst of what are meant to be fake artifacts, and Hearst even created a documentary series telling behind it.
the documentary Hearst and her crew are shown revealing the secrets of the fake shipwreck.
The premise behind the exhibition was that an amazing collection of ancient statues and artefacts was lost when a massive ship sank in the Indian Ocean, 2,000 years ago.
The Venetian debut was disliked by critics, with one saying that the “ridiculous” Treasures from the Wreck of The Unbelievable Show “should be thrown to the bottom of the sea”.
Hirst became famous in 1992 when a 14-foot tiger shark pickled in formaldehyde became the focal point of the Saatchi Gallery’s Young British Artists (YBA) exhibition.
Next came pickled lamb and a cross-section of a cow and calf, and three years later won the Turner Prize.
Talking to BBC Of his art in 2018, he said, “If I put it outside a bar, will anyone take it home?” And you think, “Yeah, they will.” If it is good, it will not be left on the street. I think this is a good way to see if the board is good or not.
In 2022, Hearst burned some of his original artwork collectively worth about $12.5 million — after pledging to destroy it as part of a digital art stunt.
Sphinx piece by British artist Damien Hirst in the press presentation of his exhibition Treasures of an Incredible Wreck
The piece is part of a satirical series of sculptures by Hearst of what are meant to be fake artifacts, and Hearst has even created a documentary series narrating the backstories.
The premise behind the exhibition was that an amazing collection of ancient statues and artefacts was lost when a massive ship sank in the Indian Ocean, 2,000 years ago.
Stephen Tannenbaum (pictured left) and Lisa Tannenbaum (pictured right), who own the lot, say it was badly damaged.
The female driver dashed through the backyard in Palm Beach, Florida, before smashing through a fence and 5-foot sea wall.
First made famous in 1992 when a 14-foot tiger shark pickled in formaldehyde became the focal point of the Saatchi Gallery’s Young British Artists (YBA) exhibition.
The 66-year-old driver has not been identified
Police said the woman – who was a local resident – did not appear to be intoxicated and was taken to nearby St. Mary’s Medical Center for evaluation. The officers did not say if she had been charged.
The car appears to be a 2021 Rolls-Royce Dawn – it’s worth about $359,250.
The accident occurred on the upscale Canterbury Lane just after 6pm on Friday.
From there she told the police that she did not remember the hours leading up to the accident.
A police report said she was caught on camera entering the property from the driveway before traveling east and connecting to the curb.
The car stopped before the driver moved east again and hit the statue.
Police said it then crashed into a natural fence before crashing into the seawall and onto the beach.
She was immediately rescued by the city’s fire rescue department. No one else was injured and the vehicle was pulled from the building.
