SALEM — Doggone it! Works of art displayed at a dog-friendly park last week were vandalized or stolen.
Salem State College art professor Ken Reker reported the crimes to police yesterday. Police are still investigating.
Budding artists created the works of art, following a week long intensive art course, specifically for Leslie’s Retreat Park, a large public park along the North River canal.
Artists chose the park as their canvas and created works that reflect a particular spot in the park, including a dog digging its way under the fence to the doggie park, three fishing poles dangling over the canal with trash on the lines and a 5-gallon water jug slowly dripping on a suspended metal flower in the park’s gazebo.
Reker told police some works of art were cut down on Wednesday, just one day after the exhibit opened on July 20.
The art was reinstalled but taken down again a day later and thrown in the trash.
On Saturday, half of the eight works were stolen.
The professor said he’s received only positive feedback about the project.
He said a woman at the park reported seeing an “older or retired professor-looking male along with a long-haired male” tamper with the artwork.