BRANDON — Vandalism has reared its ugly head again after a life-sized statue in Minnedosa was decapitated.
Inspire Studio of Fine Art owner Marlies Soltys said her creation, entitled Art Van Winkel, was defaced over the weekend.
“Some people just think it’s a joke,” Soltys said. “Unfortunately, it’s not — because I reported it to the police on Sunday, marking the first time I sought law enforcement intervention after previous occurrences.”
It is the third time the statue’s head has gone missing. She said the culprit’s identity remains unclear.
“We’re going to start writing a book and call it ‘Where’s Art’s Head?’” Soltys said.
Last month, after the second theft, the missing head was found on a beach in Minnedosa and returned to the studio.
The damage to the statue this time extends beyond the head, as the neck was also damaged, complicating efforts to restore the piece, she said.
Soltys had begun work on a new head after the last theft but had hoped to avoid the need for it. Now, she is moving forward with creating a replacement, though she remains open to using the original head if it is returned in good condition.
“People just need to have a little bit more respect for the pieces … and a little bit more like a sense of pride in our town,” she said.
The Art Van Winkel statue, which depicts a man sitting on a bench in front of the art studio, was crafted 31/2 years ago. The statue’s name reflects both the nature of her studio and her Dutch heritage.
“Art is a common men’s name, and Van Winkel means ‘from the store’ in Dutch,” Soltys said, noting she emigrated from the Netherlands as a teenager, making the name particularly meaningful.
— Brandon Sun