08/04/94
CONTACT: Stanford University News Service (650) 723-2558
STANFORD -- The Falcon, a 1963 painted steel sculpture by Alexander Calder located outside the Stanford Law School, was the target of vandals in July, Thomas Seligman, director of the Stanford University Museum of Art, said.
The vandalism was discovered Friday, July 15. Vandals apparently used a bar or bars of soap to write such phrases as "Cal Rules" on the sculpture.
Seligman, the John and Jill Freidenrich Director, said the vandals may have thought they were not inflicting permanent damage on the sculpture because of the choice of soap rather than paint or markers. However, he said, the chemicals in the soap have left a permanent stain on all sides of the sculpture, and restoration work will be required. The work may involve applying a new layer of black paint, he said.
The Stanford Police Department is investigating the incident. Anyone who may have witnessed the vandalism is being asked to call the department at (415) 723-9633.
The act of vandalism was the second on the Stanford campus this year. In May, the work Gay Liberation was doused with paint and rammed with a metal bench. A number of student-athletes are currently facing criminal charges and university disciplinary action in connection with that incident.
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