Glass Art Shattered at Chihuly Exhibit. Private Party's Guests Questioned.
By John Chase, Tribune staff reporter (with contributions by staff reporter Liam Ford)
(From the Chicago Tribune, Monday, August 19, 2002; pages 1 and 15)
Chicago Police Monday plan to track down guests from a weekend wedding anniversary party in the Garfield Park Conservatory to determine who smashed a $70,000 glass sculpture on display in the middle of an ankle-deep pond at the popular Chihuly exhibit. Police said they are unsure exactly how or why the visitor damaged the colorful sculpture, which looked like a glass vase with a flower and a plant inside. The separate pieces, which sat atop a small stool in a waterfall pond in the conservatory's front hall, were among the first Chihuly sites for visitors to view. They had been added to the wildly popular exhibit within the last month, officials said. Cost of the damage will be recouped, Chicago Park District officials said, because the couple throwing the anniversary party had to carry $2 million worth of insurance to cover potential damage. But the loss of a valued piece of public art still angered many visitors to the exhibit of famed glass sculptor Dale Chihuly's work Sunday. The incident occurred inside the Palm House, the first room visitors enter at the conservatory, as the anniversary party was winding down in another wing of the building Friday night just before midnight, Harrison Area Sgt. John Pallohusky said.
A Garfield Park security guard heard the sound of breaking glass, and when he went to check it out he saw the 4-foot figurine had been broken. Pieces of glass were scattered around the pond and in the water. But no one was there, Pallohusky said. "There's still a question whether this was intentional or accidental," he said. "You have to crawl through this pond to get to this piece, so obviously it's not totally accidental. But we're just not sure if it was malicious or not. Did ths person really want to break this thing?" Carl Grimm, program director of the non-profit Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, said the top of the orange-colored vase had been shattered, as were two glass stems that had been placed inside the vase. Officials at Garfield Park also told him that a glass sunflower that was at the end of one of the stems was missing, and may have been taken, he said. "We're not sure if someone put the sunflower in his pocket and took off," Grimm said. "Or maybe it's still missing. We're still not sure." The party was being held in Horticultural Hall, but visitors were allowed to walk through the Palm House to get in and out of the conservatory and to get to and from the bathrooms, Park District officials said. Part of the artist's "Ikebana" figurines, which are named after a Japanese style of flower arranging, the work was a recent addition to the "Chihuly in the Park: A Garden of Glass" exhibit, which features 30 originals from the Tacoma, Washington-based artist. The event has attracted more that 450,000 people since opening in November and has been so popular that it has been extended twice.
Police were called to the scene by security officers at Garfield Park, and investigators spent Sunday interviewing some of the people who attended the party, including the couple who hosted the event. Officials declined to identify any of those interviewed. On Saturday, authorities removed the pieces of the sculpture from the conservatory and even drained the pond to gather the shattered glass pieces as evidence, Pallohusky said. Michael Lash, the city's director of public art and the man credited with drawing Chihuly to the Garfield Park Conservatory, said the blown glass sculpture looked like an orange, pear-shaped vase with a sunflower and a leaf placed inside. A friend of Chihuly, Lash said the artist has been ecstatic about the popular reception the event has received in Chicago and is not likely to allow an "isolated incident" to dampen his spirits about the exhibit remaining at the conservatory. "To lose one piece with nearly 500,000 people viewing them is a pretty low number," Lash said. "It stinks that this broke, don't get me wrong, but I think he'll roll with it."
Chihuly, 61, is one of the nation's best-known glass artists and has been credited by art critics with starting a renaissance of glass art across the U.S. He was not available for comment Sunday, but he has been informed about the incident, Park District spokeswoman Angelynne Amores said. Amores said that the Park District does not immediately expect to change any security procedures as a result of the incident. "Everything right now shows that security was appropriate," she said. Lois Weisberg, the city's cultural affairs commissioner, said it would be wrong for this incident to stop the exhibition of Chihuly's art among the plants beneath the conservatory's massive glass ceilings. "These pieces are not meant to be behind glass," Weisberg said. "People enjoy these exhibits because they can get close to them. What happened was absolutely wrong, but that doesn't mean people should be prevented the opportunity to still get close views of this beautiful art." Still, visitors to the conservatory Sunday were disappointed one of the pieces they had come to see was missing. As many walked passed (sic) the pond, which still had water flowing in it but no replacement sculpture, several visitors shook their heads and exclaimed displeasure that someone would even get near the piece to break it. "I think it's horrible that a beautiful work of art could be destroyed like that just by somebody who thinks they can take a piece of it or something," said Jane Tillinghast, who travelled to the event from Hinsdale with her family. "What this person has done is deprive the public an aspect of this exhibit and public art."
Jail for £63,000 art thief
By Staff Reporter, Birmingham Post A thief has been jailed for three years after admitting stealing sculptures worth £63,000 from a Birmingham city centre shop. Several items, including a James Butler piece valued at £43,000, were taken during the raid earlier this year at the XU Gallery. Michael Dowdall, (24), of Lye Close Lane, Woodgate Valley, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to the theft from the gallery on Cornwall Street, on May 25. The court heard how Dowdall, who has previous convictions for dishonesty, and two other people, who have not been identified, stole a Rover car from the Tesco car park in the Five Ways Shopping Centre before driving to the gallery. Peter Arnold, prosecuting, said: "It was planned to quite a considerable degree. They clearly waited until the shop was empty and there was only one person serving, a female. "More than one of the defendants had gone into the shop before to look at the items with a view to stealing the most valuable," he added.
The three men then walked into the shop and two of the men picked up some sculptures whilst the third man acted as a lookout. The assistant tried to raise the alarm and warn off the thieves but one of them raised his hands at her to keep her away before they ran off with the items. John Corstophine, who was walking past the shop and heard the commotion tried to tackle the thieves inside and outside the gallery, was awarded £250 from public funds from the judge from being "public spirited". Mr Corstophine was knocked unconscious by the thieves but has not suffered any long-term damage. Four Polaroid pictures of the stolen items which Mr Arnold said were going to be used to "tout them around and re-sell them" were recovered at Dowdall's home. In his defence, Dowdall said it was a "spur of the moment offence". Judge Alan Taylor said: "This was a particularly serious theft in that you and the others stole items priced at £63,000. "Were it not for the very helpful attitude of Mr Corstophine and possibly others you may well have got away with this," he added. http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/ From: IntlArtCop@aol.com
Subject: ISC technology report #1
I saw a few nice products at the ISC in Orlando and thought I'd report on them. I'll do one at a time over a period of a few days as I am very busy. Be aware that I am not officially endorsing any product and am not affiliated with any product. We never accept a fee or compensation of any type to discuss products with clients or colleagues. I do this as a service. Check out www.TrackYourCar.com. The site is under construction and is still not browser friendly. You need certain versions of each major browser to get on and some browsers get on but have readability issues. The company is aware of this and is taking corrective action. I got on with AOL's browser but you need Flash installed. If you can't get on and need literature, call 800 726-6727. For $595 you get a small black box for your car. It has a built in GPS system. It also has six outputs to control six systems in your car such as ingition, electronic door locks, etc. For a monthly fee ranging from $15 to $65 (minimum service to unlimited service) you can track your car via the internet. It costs $75 to install the box in your vehicle. Sign on to this site, enter your password, and see your car after a 30 second delay as your black box locks on to the three or more satellites and sends a signal via land based radio (Motorola Reflex Telemetry Technology, not cellular) using the paging systems that are nearly everywhere. The software stores a history. It also shows maximum speed during any given 10 minute period of time. Track your teenager--or your museum's delivery truck--in real time to within a foot anywhere on the face of the earth. If your delivery truck varies greatly from the "flight plan" during a courier assignment, click an icon, send a signal, and the black box outputs a kill signal to the ignition causing the truck to stop so police can intercept. Put a secondary electronic lock on the cargo doors and it takes their key and your signal via the internet to unlock the cargo door. If your teenager locks his keys in the car, there is no need for a locksmith. Send an unlock command to the doors.
Every home with a teenage driver and every museum with a truck needs one or more of these things.
Steve Keller Museum Security Consultant
Flood damages in Europe:
Date sent: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 1018:19 +0200 From: "H-Museum [Marra]" marra@MUSEUMSLIST.NET
Subject: NEWS: Kulturschaeden durch Flutkatastrophe
To: H-MUSEUM@H-NET.MSU.EDU
Aus Anlass der verheerenden Hochwasserschäden in Deutschland, Österreich und der Tschechischen Republik bietet H-Museum einen gesonderten deutschsprachigen Pressespiegel. Die Resonanz in internationalen Medien ist den jeweiligen News Digests zu entnehmen, die in Kürze folgen werden. Die Berichterstattung in der deutschsprachigen Presse konzentriert sich überwiegend auf Kulturgüter in Dresden und Prag. Informationen über Sachschäden und Verluste in Kultureinrichtungen, Museen, Archiven und Bibliotheken sowie an Bau- und Naturdenkmälern in kleineren und mittelgroßen Kommunen und Regionen liegen derzeit nur vereinzelt vor. H-Museum bemüht sich, auch zu diesen Institutionen und Denkmälern nähere Informationen zu veröffentlichen. Wir bitten daher um die Mitwirkung der Subskribenten und Subskribentinnen, die auch Berichte über die Situationen in den von ihnen vertretenen oder betreuten Institutionen an die Redaktion senden können. H-Museum bietet an, durch Weiterleitung an geeignete Ansprechpartner Hilfestellung (z.B. kostenfreie Restaurierungsberatung, logistische und fachliche Unterstützung etc.) zu vermitteln. Redaktionsadresse: h-museum@h-net.msu.edu
*Chronologie der Berichterstattung über die Kulturgutschäden*
Hochwasser im Depot - über 6.000 Kunstwerke vor Fluten gerettet
"Wir haben praktisch alles gerettet", verkündet erleichtert der Generaldirektor der Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Martin Roth, am Tag zwei der Flutkatastrophe (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) http://makeashorterlink.com/?T20F21C81
Berstende Steine
Fast will auch eingefleischten Protestanten ein Stoßgebet entfahren beim Anblick der braunen Wassermassen, die sich unbeeindruckt von kunsthistorischen Werten ihren Weg durch Dresdens Prunkbauten bahnen (Die Welt) http://www.welt.de/daten/2002/08/15/0815ku350571.htx
Ein Ende der großen Sommerflut ist nicht in Sicht, nicht in Tschechien und auch nicht in Deutschland. In Österreich haben die Aufräumarbeiten begonnen. Die Schäden sind immens (Berliner Zeitung) http://makeashorterlink.com/?T5BD12C81
Der Sandstein saugt sich voll
Das Hochwasser hat die Kunststadt Dresden schwer getroffen. Am schlimmsten getroffen hat es die Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister im Semperbau am Zwinger. (Berliner Zeitung) http://makeashorterlink.com/?P2CD13C81
-- AUGUST, 16
Hochwasser in Dresden: Feuerwehr gibt Zwinger und Semperoper verloren
Mit den Deichen und Wällen steht und fällt Sachsen-Anhalts Kulturgut, soweit es sich entlang der Flüsse Elbe und Mulde versammelt (Mitteldeutsche Zeitung) http://makeashorterlink.com/?F2DD42C81
Sammlung Essl wieder geöffnet
Die Sammlung Essl in Klosterneuburg wird morgen, Samstag, wieder ihre Pforten für Besucher öffnen. Das Museum war drei Tage lang bis zu einem Meter im Hochwasser "versunken" (Der Standard) http://derstandard.at/standard.asp?id=1042750
Drei Millionen Euro für flutgeschädigte deutsche Kulturgüter Besonders betroffen: der Theaterplatz in Dresden und die Semperoper (Der Standard) http://derstandard.at/standard.asp?id=1042617
-- AUGUST, 17
Die zweite Not
Nach dem Feuer von 1945 greift nun das Wasser nach Dresden. Nur die Wahrzeichen hat der Zweite Weltkrieg von Dresdens legendärer Schönheit übriggelassen. Ihre nach der Wende begonnene zweite Restaurierung ging gerade dem Ende entgegen. Nun wirft die Hochwasserkatastrophe die Stadt und ihre Denkmäler, für die der Elbstrom einst ein "Canale Grande" werden sollte, wieder um Jahre zurück (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) http://makeashorterlink.com/?W5ED24C81
Wie schnell das Wasser fließt, wie langsam es aber steigt Am Grunde der Moldau wandern die Steine: Nachgetragene Gedanken zum Hochwasser in Prag und anderswo (Frankfurter Rundschau) http://www.fr-aktuell.de/fr/140/t140001.htm
Talsohle erreicht
Wie Perlen sind sie an der Donau und ihren Zuflüssen aufgereiht: Die historischen Städte, Klöster und Schlösser Ober- und Niederösterreichs, Symbole eines seit dem Mittelalter vorherrschenden Wohlstands von Klerus, Adel und Bürgertum; sie sind von Kriegszerstörungen weitgehend verschont geblieben. Hat das Jahrhunderthochwasser vollbracht, was die Jahrhunderte nicht vermochten? (Süddeutsche Zeitung) http://szarchiv.diz-muenchen.de/REGIS_A14319190;internal&action=body.action
Trotz alledem
Historische Gebäude in tschechischen Städten tragen schwere Schäden Langsam zieht sich das Wasser aus den überfluteten Häuserschluchten zurück. Erst allmählich treten jetzt die Schäden zutage, die die Fluten an den historischen Baudenkmalen angerichtet haben (Süddeutsche Zeitung) http://szarchiv.diz-muenchen.de/REGIS_A14319188;internal&action=body.action
In Sachsens Hauptstadt steigt die Flut weiter. Die Kulturdenkmäler stehen unter Wasser. Immer mehr Menschen werden evakuiert. Doch die Einwohner bleiben mitten im Notstand gelassen, denn aus dem ganzen Land kommt Hilfe (Die Welt) http://www.welt.de/daten/2002/08/17/0817vm351056.htx
Vom Zwinger bis zum Bauhaus: Bedrohte Kulturdenkmäler
Es klingt wie die Stabsplanung eines bevorstehenden Fronteinsatzes. "Wir verteidigen derzeit noch....", beginnt fast jeder zweite Satz. Eine Liste von Dämmen, Orten und Einrichtungen folgt. Die Kunstsammlungen und die Semperoper "haben wir aufgegeben", fasst der Hauptkoordinator des Katastrophenstabes des Landes, Karl Bey, nüchtern zusammen (Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten)
http://www.dnn-online.de/regional/28609.html
Das Schlimmste ist diese Verurteilung zur Untätigkeit
Christoph Albrecht gilt als führender Theatermacher Deutschlands. Seit 1990 ist er der Intendant der Semperoper. Gestern wurde der Platz vor dem berühmten Bau an der Elbe zum See. Für ihn ist die erzwungene Untätigkeit nur schwer zu ertrag (Leipziger Volkszeitung) http://www.lvz-online.de/lvz-heute/16550.html
Im Jahr 1769 nistete sich im Elbtal sogar die Malaria ein
Dresden im Ausnahmezustand. Tausende Menschen haben durch das Hochwasser ihr Zuhause verloren, viele Kulturstätten von nationalem Rang in Dresden stehen inzwischen unter Wasser (Stuttgarter Nachrichten) http://makeashorterlink.com/?R21E52C81
UNESCO ruft zur Sanierung der zerstörten Kulturgüter auf
-- AUGUST, 18 Zu nah am Wasser gebaut Jetzt sieht Dresden wirklich aus wie Venedig. Bernardo Bellotto hat endlich Recht. Und gleichzeitig Schuld. Bellotto, der venezianische Vedutenmaler, den sie hier Canaletto nennen. Und um dessen Gemälde sie jetzt im Zwinger bangen, weil er auf ihnen das wunderbare Panorama so gezeigt hatte, wie sie es seit August dem Starken ausdrücklich sehen wollten: die Elbe als Canale Grande Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung) http://makeashorterlink.com/?D22E12C81
Weltkulturerbe Dessau: Sandsäcke für die Meisterhäuser
Wenn die Mitarbeiter der Kulturstiftung Dessau-Wörlitz nach Belegen für die verheerenden Folgen von Hochwasser suchen, müssen sie nur auf den Lageplan ihrer Schlösser und Gärten schauen. In den historischen Anlagen des Fürsten Franz erinnern Orte wie das große oder das kleine Wall-Loch an deren exponierte Lage in den Elbauen (Mitteldeutsche Zeitung) http://makeashorterlink.com/?V23E34C81
Flut richtet Verheerungen auch an Kunst- und Kulturstätten an
Die Jahrhundertflut hat auch an nationalen Kulturdenkmälern in Sachsen und Sachsen-Anhalt teilweise verheerende Schäden angerichtet (Ostsee- Zeitung) http://makeashorterlink.com/?X27012D81
Hochwasser kommt Wittenberg so nahe wie zuletzt im Jahr 1432
Fast auf den Tag genau 570 Jahre ist es her, dass die Elbe zuletzt die Altstadt des idyllischen Touristenziels Wittenberg berührt hat. An diesem Sonntag aber trennen nur sechs Schritte und eine flache Linie von Sandsäcken den Fluss von den Häusern (Remscheider General- Anzeiger) http://makeashorterlink.com/?C55E15C81
Bei der Hochwasserkatastrophe ist der nahe der Elbe gelegenen Dresdner Semperoper offenbar das Schlimmste erspart geblieben. Auch bei den Kunstsammlungen gibt es ein Aufatmen (Die Presse) http://makeashorterlink.com/?F25052D81 -- H-MUSEUM H-Net Network for Museum Professionals E -Mail: h-museum@h-net.msu.edu WWW: http://www.h-museum.net
Antiques, art lost as Barrydale hotel burns
By Allister Arendse
An antique-laden country hotel, sporting themed rooms and adorned with works of art, was destroyed in a raging fire at the weekend. The devastating blaze at the Barrydale Country Inn in the Boland started shortly after 11am on Saturday. Guests spoke sadly on Sunday as they remembered the themed rooms, ornaments, large colourful pots and paintings that were destroyed. Boland police spokesperson William Reid said the fire spread rapidly and gutted the fully booked 12- roomed hotel.
No injuries were reported.
"Witnesses said they heard a big bang and then lots of smoke appeared. The fire spread quickly over the hotel's wooden floors," said Reid. A guest, Dean Byram of Hout Bay, said the community turned out in full force to help remove items from the burning building. Because the fire started after mid-morning, most people had finished breakfast and were out of the building at the time.
Many guests, however, lost possessions.
Reid said the cause of the fire was not known, but arson has not been ruled out. http://www.itechnology.co.za/