03-20-2015, 07:58 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-20-2015, 08:03 PM by panamaniac.)
This is unfortunate:
Sculpture stolen from Kitchener art gallery
Waterloo Region Record
By Anam Latif
KITCHENER — It may be a first for Waterloo Region — a small but valuable piece of art was stolen from the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery.
What makes matters worse is that the stolen sculpture, noticed missing on Thursday, was not part of the gallery's permanent collection — it was an artist's solo exhibit.
Waterloo Region Record
The earthenware sculpture with a tarnished silver glaze was created by Toronto-based contemporary artist An Te Liu as part of his exhibit called In Absentia, on display until Mar. 20.
This particular piece titled "Eidolon I" was worth $5,000 and was part of an exhibit of about 20 or more pieces.
Shirley Madill, the gallery's executive director, said an attendant noticed the piece was missing on Thursday. It had been on a pedestal with two other sculptures.
"They noticed there used to be three," Madill said. "So we checked out video cameras and did pick up the process of theft and an image of the person."
According to security footage, the artwork was stolen on Feb. 27. The gallery handed security footage over to police to investigate.
Madill said the gallery wants to put the image out into the public to help locate the sculpture.
"We have procedures that we follow," Madill said about discovering the object was missing, and they have also notified the artist.
She added she doesn't know of any prior thefts at the gallery.
The earthenware piece was made of modified packaging material and part of a 2014 exhibition, but has the look of an old antique or an anthropological artifact.
A news release from the gallery stated the sculpture could resemble a pre-Columbian artifact to the untrained eye, possibly a reason for its theft.
"It is really unfortunate when something like this happens," Madill said.
Waterloo Regional Police Services spokesperson Olaf Heinzel said in email that art thefts are "very rare" in the region.
"I don't remember the last time we had one," he said.
The Waterloo Region Museum hasn't experienced art theft since it opened in 2010.
Tom Reitz, museum curator, said in an email the museum has not experienced any thefts since it began bringing in exhibits in 2011.
Madill said the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery does review its security procedures on a regular basis.
But for now she asks that all local museums, galleries, art dealers and the public contact Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery if they encounter anyone suspected of selling the sculpture.
"It is just a matter of putting it out there because we would like the work returned … The artist would very much like it back."
![[Image: 9vb1v7.jpg]](http://i61.tinypic.com/9vb1v7.jpg)
Sculpture stolen from Kitchener art gallery
Waterloo Region Record
By Anam Latif
KITCHENER — It may be a first for Waterloo Region — a small but valuable piece of art was stolen from the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery.
What makes matters worse is that the stolen sculpture, noticed missing on Thursday, was not part of the gallery's permanent collection — it was an artist's solo exhibit.
Waterloo Region Record
The earthenware sculpture with a tarnished silver glaze was created by Toronto-based contemporary artist An Te Liu as part of his exhibit called In Absentia, on display until Mar. 20.
This particular piece titled "Eidolon I" was worth $5,000 and was part of an exhibit of about 20 or more pieces.
Shirley Madill, the gallery's executive director, said an attendant noticed the piece was missing on Thursday. It had been on a pedestal with two other sculptures.
"They noticed there used to be three," Madill said. "So we checked out video cameras and did pick up the process of theft and an image of the person."
According to security footage, the artwork was stolen on Feb. 27. The gallery handed security footage over to police to investigate.
Madill said the gallery wants to put the image out into the public to help locate the sculpture.
"We have procedures that we follow," Madill said about discovering the object was missing, and they have also notified the artist.
She added she doesn't know of any prior thefts at the gallery.
The earthenware piece was made of modified packaging material and part of a 2014 exhibition, but has the look of an old antique or an anthropological artifact.
A news release from the gallery stated the sculpture could resemble a pre-Columbian artifact to the untrained eye, possibly a reason for its theft.
"It is really unfortunate when something like this happens," Madill said.
Waterloo Regional Police Services spokesperson Olaf Heinzel said in email that art thefts are "very rare" in the region.
"I don't remember the last time we had one," he said.
The Waterloo Region Museum hasn't experienced art theft since it opened in 2010.
Tom Reitz, museum curator, said in an email the museum has not experienced any thefts since it began bringing in exhibits in 2011.
Madill said the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery does review its security procedures on a regular basis.
But for now she asks that all local museums, galleries, art dealers and the public contact Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery if they encounter anyone suspected of selling the sculpture.
"It is just a matter of putting it out there because we would like the work returned … The artist would very much like it back."