ceramic totem by Tatiana Echeverri Fernandez / human body

(In 2008, a series of 5 ceramic totems, collectively entitled “Frauleins Christina, Panthea, Zenobia, Semiramis and Guinevere,” were on view at London’s Royal Academy when a museum visitor lost her balance and fell into them. One of the totems was irreparably damaged in the incident.

As one witness described the scene: “It was an enormous crash, like pottery smashing. Everyone was just standing around not knowing what to do at all, and one woman in a white top, who I assumed had knocked it over, was standing with her hand on her head.

"After a while a person who was in charge of the room ran off to get help and someone came in with a dustpan and brush to clean it up. Before that people were still coming in to the room and thought it was part of the exhibition. They were taking pictures. I think they thought it was meant to be like that. It was quite funny.”)