Two Des Moines residents have repaired and donated their work on a vandalized sculpture at South Marina Park for the second time in a year, returning the artwork to public display Sept. 30, according to resident Fred Andrews.
The sculpture, Harpoon by Ben Dye, was placed in storage by Des Moines Marina staff after the latest damage, Andrews said. He and his neighbor Doug Andrews, who are not related, repaired it on both occasions. The estimated repair cost was $1,500 each time.
“This is the second time it has happened in the last year,” Fred Andrews said.
Made of wood and metal, Harpoon is owned by the city of Des Moines and was donated by the Des Moines Legacy Foundation, according to Andrews. A Des Moines Marina crew returned the repaired sculpture to its plinth at South Marina Park.
Andrews said another artwork at the park, Marinascope by Des Moines artist George C. Scott, also has suffered repeated vandalism.
The sculpture contains round glass portals handmade by Scott using a kiln casting process. More than a dozen have been broken out since the artwork was installed, Andrews said. He also reported recurring paint, scratches and graffiti on the sculpture’s walls.
Andrews urged residents to pay closer attention to what is happening at the park to help prevent further damage.
“Everyone involved with these artworks hopes that the members of our community will try to be more aware of what is happening in the park and prevent this repeated vandalism,” Andrews added.
