Selfie attempt sets off domino effect at L.A. gallery and causes $200,000 in damage

The quest for the perfect selfie at a pop-up gallery in Los Angeles known for its Instagram-friendly art took a disastrous turn recently, and it came with a steep price.

The calamitous scene unfolded when an unidentified woman crouched for a selfie in front of a row of crowns displayed individually on pedestals and fell backward, triggering an unstoppable domino effect in a room described by the gallery as “a serene space.�

A video, posted on YouTube Thursday, captured the mishap at the 14th Factory as each pedestal fell onto the next.

Simon Birch, a British-born, Hong Kong-based artist who conceived the art installation, told the New York Times that the selfie fail occurred two weeks ago and caused about $200,000 in damage.

But Birch was not put off by the blundering snapshot. He told the New York paper that the museum has no plans to warn visitors in the future to be careful because, he said, “We trust people.�

He added, “Crowns are fragile things. They are symbols of power. Perhaps it’s ironic and meaningful that they fell.�

According to the gallery, the fragile installation “displayed crowns, or at least some resemblance of what a crown might be, presented as precious trophies or boons. The title of this work was inspired by the electronic dance track ‘Hypercaine’ by DJ Fresh. It is also a signifier of the ultimate human drug — power.�

The immersive art exhibition opened in April at an old warehouse in Lincoln Heights and features multimedia artists from around the globe.

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Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA