Work of art damaged

Another act of vandalism at St. Mary’s Cathedral

There was also another act of vandalism in the Mariendom in Linz

(Bild: Chris Koller)

There is a lack of respect for art and culture: the attack on an art installation by Pussy Riot co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova in a former chapel in front of the Open House of Culture in Linz is not an isolated incident. An installation in St. Mary's Cathedral in Linz was also vandalized.

"Perhaps someone just wanted to be 'funny'," speculates cathedral master Clemens Pichler: during a sound installation for Anton Bruckner's E minor Mass in the crypt of the new cathedral, the fine wires connecting floating gold spheres were tangled. Since then, the artwork has been irreparably damaged.

Of course, the cathedral master does not believe that the damage was caused by malicious intent: "It is enough to take a single ball and let it go. The wires are so delicate that they couldn't be untangled."

Madonna was beheaded 
Much worse off was the sculpture of a Madonna giving birth, which was beheaded in St. Mary's Cathedral on June 1. Two suspects, a man from Linz (73) and a man from Vienna (31), are still under investigation, according to the Linz public prosecutor's office. The man from Linz had behaved suspiciously, the Viennese man had eagerly posted relevant information. But the duo had no contact with each other. It remains to be seen who will actually stand trial.

Splinters trickled down the cleavages 
It was a stone that was used to smash the glass door of the former St. Mary's Chapel on Linz's OK-Platz. Splinters trickled down the décolletés of sex dolls that Pussy Riot co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova was exhibiting as part of her major exhibition at the OK. The glass floor of the showroom was also smashed. According to the Landes-Kultur GmbH (OÖ LKG), charges have been filed against persons unknown.

No coincidental timing
The artist believes that the timing of the act of vandalism was not chosen by chance; it happened on the eve of Mary's conception, "a symbolic date". The sculpture group was not seriously damaged, it is temporarily on display in the OK and will return to its original location as soon as possible. The chapel was deconsecrated more than ten years ago and has been a space for art ever since.