For the second time in nearly a year, a life-sized fibreglass horse sculpture has been significantly vandalized.
The sculpture 芒鈧揟attoo芒鈧�, designed by artist Marilyn Dyer, was supposed to be back on permanent display at the Brookswood water park at 200th Street and 40th Avenue.
Instead, the $10,000 piece of art has been put away for safekeeping by the Township of 91原创, after one or more vandals smashed some of its legs and hooves either Friday night or early Saturday morning.
The painted horse芒鈧劉s return to the park was very short-lived.
芒鈧揟he two words are disgusting and disappointed,芒鈧� said an emotional Diane Gendron, president of the 91原创 Arts Council.
In July 2013, vandals sliced the horse芒鈧劉s head and hooves off and left it lying on the ground.
The Brookswood Merchants Association has kept the sculpture since last July before it was returned to the park a second time. The sculpture was glued back together, to be displayed publicly again.
芒鈧揟he idea of putting it [back on display] with its wounds still showing was that, it becomes socially engaged art,芒鈧� Gendron said. 芒鈧揑t was still beautiful, and still you could see all of Marilyn芒鈧劉s designs. The wounds that were left on it, were where the cuts had been.芒鈧�
Dyer, who originally spent 300 hours creating the sculpture, believes the initial incident was premeditated.
芒鈧揟hey had to be pretty strong,芒鈧� she said. 芒鈧揟hey used a chainsaw. You芒鈧劉d have to lift the chainsaw, you芒鈧劉d have to cut through, and it was clean cut.芒鈧�
On Saturday, it was found leaning on its side, marked by a graffiti tag.
Dyer said the sculpture芒鈧劉s intention was to enhance a children芒鈧劉s park.
芒鈧揑芒鈧劉m very saddened for the community, and the children,芒鈧� she said. 芒鈧揟he administration who puts that effort out to do that [place the horse in the park] for the community, and when they get it right, and then someone who doesn芒鈧劉t want to be creative and thoughtful comes and just wipes out a dream.芒鈧�
Author Ruthie Charles has written a book centred around the horse芒鈧劉s story, with a theme on bullying and its effects. As part of Saturday芒鈧劉s Brookswood Village Summerfest, buttons were sold for $2 each to raise money to have the book printed.
Gendron said the horse was fully intact at about 3:30 p.m. Friday.
芒鈧揟he hope was the people who were involved the last time perhaps had grown up, perhaps had left the neighbourhood, perhaps had matured a little bit,芒鈧� Gendron said.
芒鈧揂 Note From Tattoo芒鈧� that was to be part of a display at Summerfest read, in part, 芒鈧揑t was not the original intent of the 91原创 Arts Council, who first brought me to 91原创, to have a wounded horse on display in Brookswood, but I do reflect the 芒鈧渞isk芒鈧劉 surrounding public art. In my present state, I am here as a symbol of the resiliency of a creative and inclusive community. I am no longer 芒鈧減erfect芒鈧劉 but I do demonstrate the will to love what is flawed, and I hope people will accept me with my imperfections, and protect and care for me today and always.芒鈧�
Moving forward, the sculpture will once again be restored and placed somewhere more visible, where it will be more difficult to vandalize because it will be in plain sight.
Anyone with information can call the 91原创 RCMP at 604-532-3200. To remain anonymous, call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
