After having its head chopped off and legs cut down by senseless vandals in a Brookswood spray park nearly a year ago, Tattoo, the horse sculpture, was supposed to be official unveiled again, wounds and all, on Saturday as part of Brookswood Days.
The colourful sculpture, created by artist and retired Langley Fine Arts teacher Marilyn Dyer, was reinstalled by Township staff Friday afternoon.
But overnight, vandals got to Tattoo again, this time hacking his hooves off and leaving a graffiti tag spray painted on his body.
Diane Gendron, of the Langley Arts Council, said she is profoundly disappointed.
“The Langley Arts Council and the Brookswood Merchants put that beautiful sculpture at that very park so kids could enjoy it and it was to provide a sense of pride for the community,” said Gendron.
“Sadly, there are members of the community who want only to destroy.”
“No Tattoo in the park for Brookswood Days, no happy celebration with Ella Little from the Brookswood Merchants, Marilyn Dyer, the artist who painted Tattoo, and author Ruthie Charles (who has created a book around the horse story), and no poster beside the horse explaining its value to the community,” she said.
Despite the sculpture being vandalized again, everyone involved is determined not to let the culprits win.
The sculpture will be out there for the public to enjoy at some time in the future, said Gendron. It is currently in storage.