[MSN] Heist or hoax? Museum's prized sculpture swiped

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Heist or hoax?

Museum's prized sculpture swiped

By HEATHER SCOFIELD
Correspondent DELAND -- The sculpture recently placed in front of the 
Museum of Florida Art to commemorate its "Equus III" exhibit was a 
life-size likeness of a horse, of course.

Now it's gone -- stolen, or perhaps, horse-napped sometime after doors 
to the museum, located across U.S. 17-92 from Stetson University, were 
locked Friday night.

Museum manager Jennifer Coolidge hopes the theft was a prank and says 
there will be no questions asked if the horse soon reappears intact.

When Coolidge last saw the sculpture, it was bolted to its platform 
outside the museum.

But when facilities manager Mike Keiser came to work Saturday, the 
approximately 300-pound horse no longer guarded the museum building.

"I don't understand how this happened; it was bolted down," Coolidge 
said Monday as she pointed to the platform with a small portion of the 
horse's back hoof still attached. "They literally ripped it right off."

Keiser figured museum employees had brought the sparkling stallion 
inside for the weekend. He said he worked most of the day, then called 
Coolidge after growing suspicious that something wasn't right. Coolidge 
filed a theft report with DeLand police Saturday evening.

The horse was one of 53 commissioned in 2002 by the Marion (County) 
Cultural Alliance and was made using hundreds of pieces of broken CDs by 
artist Julie Valladares. It was at the Museum of Florida Art on a 
temporary loan from the alliance.

"We've never had a horse stolen before," said Denise McNeff, spokeswoman 
for the alliance. "We're really hoping it was some kind of prank and 
will show back up."

McNeff said the horse was part of a set of sculptures, by various 
artists, the alliance calls "The In-Motion Herd" and likely would have 
been auctioned to a collector this fall.

Sculptures in a similar set have been sold for $25,000 to $100,000 each 
-- money the non-profit organization has used to stay fiscally afloat.

Coolidge said the museum would not press charges if the piece turns up 
unharmed in the next day or two.

Marion Cultural Alliance Board Chairman Gerald Ergle said he leans 
toward offering a similar amnesty but needs to consult with the 
alliance's board members before making any commitments.

"We just want the piece back," Coolidge said.

Museum officials have notified DeLand police and agencies that 
specialize in locating stolen art, as well as online art brokers and 
auction sites like eBay. Stetson authorities are talking with students 
and sending out notices around the campus seeking any information about 
the heist.

Local police are also looking for the art. Valladares, the artist, has 
not yet been told of the theft, McNeff said, because everyone involved 
is hoping the piece will be returned before that becomes necessary.

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