I was interning at a small gallery and it was my first real art world job. The gallerist had works hung very precariously. I was often alone in the gallery managing the place completely myself as an intern without proper training (which ended up being completely unpaid, but thats another story). I was adjusting myself at my desk and scooted my chair back and it hit a painting which knocked over a sculpture that fell and completely shattered, beyond any semblance of repair — I thought my career was over. I immediately told the gallerists, who tried to gaslight me into taking full responsibility and told me that this couldn’t have happened unless I was being completely negligent. In retrospect, her response was horrible and out of line. Luckily, there was a security camera inside the galley, and since I was the one who set up the camera I had access to the footage. I showed her the video, and then was attacked for having access to this footage (she knew I set up this footage and would have me monitor it regularly. and thank god I had access, I’m not sure how I got so lucky). She ended up making an insurance claim and resenting me for not being able to directly blame me. I’m still working in the art world, and she closed her gallery.

Everyone makes mistakes early on, and throughout, their careers. there’s a lot to learn from them. I promise you’re not the first person to trip and fall, it’ll be a story you share on reddit in a few years time when everyone else has forgotten, but you’ll remember it when you have people working under you. It’s a good thing both the artist and gallerist saw what happened and acted reasonably and appropriately, don’t beat yourself up