Police break into gallery to help ‘unconscious woman’ only to discover it is art installation

Police broke into an art gallery to aid an unconscious person inside before discovering it was an art installation

A passer by called the police thinking they saw a women in distress at Laz Emporium (Google Maps)

Two officers forced their way into Laz Emporium gallery in London to rescue an apparently unconscious woman slumped over a desk, only to find it was a mannequin forming part of an art installation.

The Met Police broke into the art gallery in Soho after a member of the public made a call on 25 November. saying they had seen someone “in distress”.

After breaking down the doors to get inside, officers found an artwork made of packing tape and foam filler.

The £18,000 sculpture was commissioned by Banksy's ex-agent and owner of Laz Emporium, Steve Lazarides. The artwork is a depiction of his sister, Kristina, with her head in a bowl of soup.

He commissioned this piece from his friend, US artist Mark Jenkins, who makes provocative street sculptures.

Mr Lazarides told Artnet News that an employee at the gallery had locked up for the day and after going upstairs for a cup of tea, she came back to find “the door off its hinges and two confused police officers”.

The officers said to the staff member that someone had reported that a woman had not been moving for the last two hours at the art gallery in Lexington Street, and the officers assumed the figure had had “a heart attack or she’s overdosed.”

When 'Kristina' went on display in October, paramedics were called after a similar misunderstanding.

‘Kristina’ is on show at the gallery until 24 December.