The museum apologised and said they would improve staff training (Picture: Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)
A museum has apologised after telling a child to stop drawing while visiting an art exhibition.
The Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts reportedly told a child who was sketching a Pablo Picasso painting on a tablet to stop ‘copying’ the art work.
A muesumgoer nicknamed Mickeyelk Gesner posted on Facebook: ‘The staff told us, “Only taking photos is allowed. No copying. This is a rule”.’
A physician Lee Chia-yan said on Facebook she saw the incident and said it was ‘totally at odds with the common practice of the world’s leading art museums’.
She said: ‘Arts museums should not be haughty and condescending to visitors. It is not a place for adults to be arty and phony, but rather a place pleasantly accessible to people, especially to children.’
The museum apologised and said they would improve staff training, Taipei Times reports.
The Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts reportedly told a child who was sketching a Pablo Picasso painting on a tablet to stop ‘copying’ the art work (Picture: Google)
They confirmed visitors are allowed to sketch the artwork.
Takao Gooday, who regularly visits the museum, commented: ‘The entire incident indicates that the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, being a hub of arts in southern Taiwan with a 30-year history, has a disappointing attitude toward arts education and promotion.
Literary and historical expert Wei Tsong-jou added: ‘Copying” and “freehand drawing” are two different things when it comes to visitors drawing to mimic a painting.
‘One would have to file an application to ‘copy’ painting exhibits and undergo a review afterwards.
‘”Free drawing” does not require any application and is considered a way of appreciating artworks in terms of museum education.’
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