What is fair for this type damage?

[Melissa332]

Guests screwed a banner to our wooden entryway artwork. Screwed as in drilled a screw into wood. Is it destroyed? No. Is there a screw hole in it, yes. Is it a disrespectful and unconscionable act? Yes. It is a large piece of art made by my husband. What is fair? 

 

 

[Lorna170]

@Melissa332   Do you know an art appraiser or gallery owner?  Have them provide you with an evaluation of the installation ASAP and forward that information to AirBnB and the guest.

Guests do not always know what art is, especially art that is created using unconventional materials like reclaimed wood. AirBnB's customer service and the guest will probably not recompensate you for the damage (both mental and physical).  I am very sorry that this happened to you. Perhaps your husband can repair the holes with wood putty, stain and a lot of love.

(A search online for reclaimed wood art resulted in prices starting at $200 and going to several thousand.  Depends on the size of the piece, the number of panels and finishing treatment.)

[Guy991]

Hello @Melissa332 ,

I agree with you that the guest should have understood this was a piece of artwork and not a bulletin board. But I could give you plenty of examples of guests being far more disrespectful—and that’s not really the point.

The thing is, you don’t hang an original Picasso in an Airbnb.

With all due respect, I truly believe that if you remove the screw, no one will notice. Maybe I’m wrong, but to me the piece has a rough, rustic feel, and this little hole doesn’t take away from it—it might even blend in.

Back in architecture school, they told us that if a drawing on paper gets torn at the edge, don’t fix it—tear it more. Make the flaw part of the story.

Maybe your husband can look at this as an opportunity to get creative. A second piece of wood, another bear print—when it comes to this kind of art, the sky really is the limit. 

[Melissa332]

I appreciate your perspective. I agree and your words helped a lot. It is the audacity and disregard that I find difficult, not the actual damage. I'll just note it in their review. Thank you. 

[Guy991 · Accepted solution]

Hello @Melissa332 ,

I’m glad I could help.

I’m not sure the guest did it on purpose. Art comes in many forms, and some people simply don’t recognize it when they see it.

That’s why, to help people understand art, we sometimes need to frame it. Not necessarily with wood, but by giving it context—so they know what it is, where it begins and where it ends.

I’m not suggesting a real wooden frame in this case. But I do think a small white note on the side, with black text showing the name of the piece, the artist, the year, and the materials used, could go a long way. Museums and galleries use this technique all the time. It would make it clear that this is a unique work, and hopefully it will be appreciated accordingly.

[Joan2709]

@Guy991 

That is an excellent suggestion! A bear print or other animal to cover the blemish or some sort of wrought iron would look really cool! I also like your idea about the small sign explaining the piece.

[Joan2709]

@Melissa332 

So sorry this happened.

In addition to the other advice, I would add something to your Additional House Rules about not affixing any party decorations to walls or anything on the walls with anything except painters tape (no nails, screws, or other types of tape). We  also state no glitter, as that is a nightmare to clean up.