EXCLUSIVE

Street Artist RETNA Suspected of Vandalizing Swanky Art Gallery ... Cops Say More than $50k in Damages

One of Kylie Jenner's favorite artists had his work vandalized, and cops say a bad boy street artist is a suspect in the crime.

The newly opened Maddox Gallery in West Hollywood was covered in graffiti over the weekend, and law enforcement sources tell us street artist RETNA is a suspect in the investigation.

Sources tell us ... RETNA allegedly twice vandalized the art gallery with spray paint, first targeting the work of celeb-fave Damien Hirst and then returning to graffiti the gallery inside and out.

Check out the pics ... someone went to town on the gallery, and our law enforcement sources estimate the damages between $50-100k!!!

Eyewitnesses say RETNA was pissed because his own work was not hanging next to Hirst's -- an artist popular with Kylie, the Beckhams, Elton John, Jay-Z and Beyonce -- and last Monday, RETNA flanked Hirst's work with black spray paint.

After the gallery painted over the graffiti, sources say RETNA returned in a rage Saturday to vandalize the gallery inside and out with silver spray paint. We're told he was threatening staff members and ranting about how he wasn't being showcased.

After the first act of vandalism, a post on RETNA's IG appeared to take credit for the graffiti ... but it was later deleted.

Maddox Gallery director Sam Palmer is convinced RETNA is behind the vandalism ... telling us he vandalized "furniture, art, our front window, the gallery doors ... and more."

We've reached out to RETNA ... so far, no word back.

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