Sculpture ripped apart during postgame celebration on NC college campus, artist says
.JPG "Appalachian State defensive back Kaleb Dawson (1) waves his school’s flag inside of Kyle Field after upsetting Texas A&M 17-14 in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, in College Station, Texas.")
A raucous postgame celebration left a sculpture ripped apart on a North Carolina college campus, the artist said.
Appalachian State University fans were basking in their football team’s surprising victory over then-No. 6 ranked Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 10, when video captured them cheering in and around a duck pond. The pond is home to “Lost And Found,” a floating statue in the shape of a baby.
“Their football fans were so excited to win a game that they decided to swim out and tear my work apart,” artist Kevin Curry wrote Sept. 10 on Instagram. “Details are still coming in, but an arm was found behind their football stadium. The prognosis is not good.”
The App State police department also “relieved an officer of duty” after a report emerged the same night as the celebration, chief Andy Stephenson wrote in a statement. Officials are investigating and didn’t share additional details about the officer’s case with McClatchy News on Sept. 14.
The vandalism was reported as App State gears up to host “College GameDay.” The ESPN program will broadcast from the school starting at 9 a.m. on Sept. 17, The Charlotte Observer reported.
The appearance was announced after App State’s upset win over Texas A&M on Sept. 10. Though it was an away game for the Mountaineers, the revelry made its way to the college’s campus in Boone.
Caitlyn Cook, a student at the school, told The Appalachian student newspaper that she saw people pulling pieces of the baby sculpture from the water and felt “gutted.”
“I remember I was looking around for the police officers because there were like a dozen cars on Rivers Street and then up near the stadium, but there were no officers trying to stop people, and there were no officers down where all of the students were,” Cook said, according to the newspaper.
The floating artwork had been on display for about three months before the postgame incident. Photos show the now-damaged artwork had depicted a baby lying on its back.
“It was shocking and saddening to see, but it’s been so nice to hear many positive comments of support from students, parents and others that loved the work and hope that it can be repaired,” Curry said in a statement, according to the Watauga Democrat.
The school and the artist have been in contact, according to App State. The sculpture was taken from the duck pond so that officials could gauge the damage and possible repairs.
“While a majority of App State fans celebrated one of the biggest wins in our football history without incident, APD is investigating damages to art on campus,” Stephenson wrote in his statement to McClatchy News.
As the App State football team prepares to face Troy University on Sept. 17 and the “College GameDay” crew comes to town, officials have cautioned people to avoid damaging the campus even more.
“We have a tremendous opportunity this week with the football program, university and community in the national spotlight,” Joey Jones, senior associate athletics director for strategic communications, said in a statement. “We ask all fans to continue to support the Mountaineers by arriving early to events, cheering loudly, and being respectful of all fans, visitors and our campus environment.”
App State is located in the mountains of Western North Carolina and had more than 20,000 students in fall 2021.
Curry and the Boone Police Department didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ requests for comment on Sept. 14.
This story was originally published September 15, 2022 at 7:25 AM.
