Only minimal damage has been caused to the gallery by the exploding fish

June 7, 2018 9:58 AM

Fire at London’s Hayward Gallery as rotting fish artwork explodes. The installation, "Majestic Splendor" by Lee Bul, was a commentary on the ephemeral nature of beauty. The symbolism is now, perhaps, even more apropos now than when it was removed from the MoMA for for filling the gallery with a terrible stench. A closeup of a detail of the artwork, pre-explosion. A scientific explanation of the reasons the piscine masterpiece exploded.
posted by kyrademon (17 comments total)

They had learned earlier that a chemical added to the fishes' bags to dampen their smell could become flammable after combining with gases released by the decomposing flesh, and art handlers were taking down the art as a precaution when it suddenly combusted and sparked a fire, a gallery spokesperson told frieze magazine.

...later revealed to be part of a larger performance art piece entitled “FISHBOMBS!”
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 10:10 AM on June 7, 2018 [11 favorites]

So they covered it in potassium permanganate and are surprised it caught on fire? That's like pouring bleach on something and being surprised it turns white.
posted by ryanrs at 10:10 AM on June 7, 2018 [14 favorites]

Wait, the same fish has been rotting from 1991 to 2018?
posted by dilaudid at 10:17 AM on June 7, 2018

art that criticizes itself
posted by poffin boffin at 10:17 AM on June 7, 2018 [29 favorites]

Note photo of Lee Bul’s other work, “Willing to be Vulnerable,” which appears to be more than a little Hindenburgy.

Is this guy just an arsonist?
posted by Sys Rq at 10:18 AM on June 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

> "Is this guy just an arsonist?"

Not a guy. Wikipedia makes no comment on the arsonist question, though.
posted by kyrademon at 10:21 AM on June 7, 2018

11/10 best art ever.
posted by Artw at 10:28 AM on June 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

(would have awarded an additional point out of 10 if a Saatchi had bought it)
posted by Artw at 10:29 AM on June 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

Fishbombs, fishbombs
Stinky winky fishbombs
Fishbombs, fishbombs
Blow them up, BOOM!

Take a fishbomb to the fancy gallery
They don't like it, they explode

Stinky winky fishbombs are never seen strolling through the Hayward in majestic splendor, yeah
posted by InfidelZombie at 10:49 AM on June 7, 2018 [26 favorites]

Did PISCIS claim responsibility?
posted by adept256 at 10:51 AM on June 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

A Saatchi? No. Steve Cohen, yes!
posted by praemunire at 11:40 AM on June 7, 2018

The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:03 PM on June 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

It's a dada dream.
posted by GenderNullPointerException at 12:40 PM on June 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

Personal anecdote time. My Ma made a "How to care for your pet fish" book that came to her in a dream. It was composed of heat sealed bags filled with water and fishing lures (mostly) depicting what to do or not do. For example, the "Know your fish's friends" page had a lure that was half a fish, a plastic shark, and red food coloring in the water.

The last several pages were all titled, "Don't expose your fish to massive amounts of radiation", one of which contained a fish stick.

The whole thing was displayed in our rec-room hanging from a series of wooden dowels. About a year after installation we noticed an alarming swelling of the fish stick bag.

Our attempt to remove and dispose of the page did not go well. Fortunately it was summer and we could keep the windows open. That and no fire.
posted by calamari kid at 12:42 PM on June 7, 2018 [31 favorites]

My Ma made a "How to care for your pet fish" book that came to her in a dream.

posted by calamari kid

Eponysomething.
posted by greermahoney at 1:22 PM on June 7, 2018 [14 favorites]

Thank you for posting this, it will be the focus of all my small talk for the next week.
posted by grandiloquiet at 3:50 PM on June 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

I believe the exhibit has been done multiple times from 1991-2018 with different fish each time, dilaudid.

Not sure whether the explosion was intentional or not (probably not), but in South Korea this kind of negative publicity is called "noise marketing".
posted by subdee at 4:04 PM on June 7, 2018 [1 favorite]