Prized Piece Of Pizzuti Art Vandalized For Second Time

A woman was caught on camera using a prized piece of artwork as her jungle gym.

Now, those in charge of caring for the Pizzuti Collection are trying to figure out who did it.

In fact, the curator of this collection says that, despite the piece only being on that site for a few months, this isn't the first time that sculpture has been tampered with.

The artwork is outside, but behind the gallery fence on Park Street across from Goodale Park.  The facility is monitored by many security cameras.

The surveillance video shows the moment when the woman approaches the art.

“She just starts to scale the sculpture. You see the basket weaving as she's climbing up,” said Pizzuti Collection curator Rebecca Ibel.

It's not seen in the video, but the curator believes the woman made it all the way to the top of the structure because the hoops found broken and on the ground used to be attached at the top.

“The second ring from the top, you can see is broken off on this side and then the fifth ring down from the other side. So, maybe she was grabbing on one and standing on another and they both gave way,” said Ibel.

The video shows the hoops crashing to the ground, but the woman doesn't.

Ibel thinks the woman hurt herself on a “branch” on the way down after noticing dried blood on one of the bottom branches of the artwork.

A man is also seen on the video helping the woman down.  She appears to bend over, as if in pain from the fall.  They regroup and then the two of them look for a way out.

“Art is meant to be appreciated. This is not an interactive piece,” said Ibel.

Ibel says seeing the damage to such a prized piece is nothing short of heartbreaking.

“It'll take a great deal of repair. And we'll have to take down the whole piece. And it's going to be very costly, but there's that feeling of being violated and it's sad,” said Ibel.

The damaged artwork was created by a Cuban artist based in New York.  The curator tells 10TV that he is a big fan of Columbus.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to contact authorities.

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