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Arc of History will come down after Labor Day

Sculpture could be recycled, auctioned online
The Arc of History at the intersection of U.S. Highway 550/160 near the DoubleTree was vandalized in July 2015, about a year after it was completed. The city plans to remove the controversial sculpture, but hasn’t decided what to do with it.

The Arc of History at the U.S. Highway 550/160 intersection will be taken down sometime after Labor Day, but the final fate of the sculpture has not been decided.

The sculpture was vandalized, likely by a pick ax or rock pick last summer, and the city decided to take it down because initial estimates showed the insurance claim would not cover the cost of a repair by the artist.

The sculpture must be removed all in one piece by a crane, said Sherri Dugdale, assistant to the city manager.

The adhesive used to hold the rocks together makes it impossible to take apart without damaging it further, she said.

The Colorado Department of Transportation has asked the piece be taken down after Labor Day and at night, when the traffic is not as busy.

A member of the city’s Public Art Commission said she was saddened by the vandalism and the need to remove the Arc. The Arc has been the object of mostly harmless pranks during the two years it has been in place. It’s been adorned with a dinosaur head and also appeared to have hatched mini arcs and baby dinosaurs.

“Honestly, it was pretty fun, and it’s just heartbreaking somebody was just so destructive,” said Cathy Gore, a commission member.

Tuesday morning the commission met to debate options for the future of the sculpture, such as recycling it or auctioning it off.

The group voted to postpone a final decision until next month, when it will have more details about the possibilities and the condition of the sculpture.

“I think we just get it down and evaluate it,” Durango City Councilor Dean Brookie said. He is the City Council liaison to the commission.

The stones might be used for another public art piece or base, suggested commissioner Carol Martin.

If the commission decides to auction the piece, it would likely be done online, Dugdale said.

The commission Chairwoman Cristie Scott favored recycling the metals and stones instead of auctioning off a broken sculpture.

Gore also suggested setting aside the debate until the piece is taken off its base. The future of the sculpture is a tricky question for the commission because there is not much precedent.

“It is a rare thing nationally that people destroy a piece of art,” she said.

Arc artist Tom Holmes raised concerns about the city’s plan to take down the sculpture. He believed it was protected by federal copyright law, even though he no longer owns the piece. However, earlier in August his attorney notified the city that he did not intend to take any legal action.

mshinn@durangoherald.com

Oct 12, 2016
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