Following last month’s tragedy, at least 12 more pieces of classic artwork have fallen victim to contemporary artists. According to investigators, reports of copycat restorations have been coming in around the clock.
“This happens every time,” Juan Albanell told us. “It starts when one crazy person with too much time on their hands gets ahold of a bunch of paintbrushes.”
Among the first targets were the Mona Lisa, and then the Creation of Adam (click for ‘restored version’).
The original restoration in question was carried out by an elderly parishioner named Cecilia Gimenez. Neighbors had no suspicions of what she was planning. By the time Spanish cultural officials were notified, a century-old fresco depicting Christ in a local sanctuary had already been ruined.
Reports have attributed the newest vandalism to a single entity reputedly calling himself “The Restorer,” but officials have denied this suggestion.
“It’s unlikely to be a series of planned attacks. More likely the work of a dozen individuals. What we see are completely unrelated, unauthorized modifications spanning various localities.”
They are collectively calling this streak of restorations—sparked by Gimenez—the Antichrist.
– JS ’15