Richard Avedon “Daughters of the American Revolution” / pistol

(In 1986, an unemployed security guard and Vietnam veteran named Ellis Nelson entered the Black Forest Inn, located in Minneapolis, and pulled a revolver from under his coat. While patrons of the Inn dove for cover, Nelson aimed the gun at a large print of this Richard Avedon photograph. After shooting the photo numerous times, Nelson surrendered and was arrested. When asked why he shot the photograph, he replied, “That photo always bugged the hell out of me.”

Erich Christ, owner of the Black Forest Inn and the photograph, decided not to repair the work, claiming it had become a popular tourist attraction as a result of the incident. He was quoted as saying, “[Visitors] like to stick their fingers in the holes and take pictures.”)