A 91-year-old woman has left police lost for words after filling in the blanks of a modern artwork – because she thought it was a crossword.
The pensioner, who has not been named, was questioned under caution after filling in the work valued at €80,000 (£67,000) with a biro.
“Reading-work-piece”, a 1977 work by Arthur Köpcke of the Fluxus movement, bears a resemblance to an incomplete crossword puzzle.
Next to the work is a sign which reads: “Insert words”, which the woman took to be an instruction.
“The lady told us she had taken the notes as an invitation to complete the crossword,” a police spokesman said.
Upon the discovery, the woman is understood to have told police that if they didn’t want people to “follow the artist’s instructions” they should put up a sign to make that clear.
Eva Kraus, the museum director, said the damage was not permanent.
“We do realize that the old lady didn’t mean any harm,” she said. “Nevertheless, as a state museum couldn’t avoid making a criminal complaint. Also for insurance reasons we had to report the incident to the police.”
Restoring the work is expected to cost only a few hundred euros and the museum will bear the expense, she said.
The museum said that in future it would alter the label to make it clear visitors are not permitted to add to the work.
