Bear statue allegedly vandalized by Mercer University students

Macon Arts Alliance officials are in the process of figuring out how they will replace a fiberglass statue of a bear that was damaged beyond repair early Saturday morning, allegedly by a pair of Mercer University students.

Jonathan Dye, spokesman for Macon Arts Alliance, said Mercer police arrested two students after they allegedly removed the bear from its base at Tattnall Square Park, near the corner of Adams Street and Coleman Avenue, about 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

The case was turned over to Macon police, but charges haven’t been filed yet because arts alliance officials are still trying to determine the value of the hand-painted bear.

“We are still trying to figure it out,” Dye said. “We’re not sure the exact cost, because it’s hand-painted. We’re working to determine it.”

Mercer spokesman Larry Brumley said in a statement that the two students would be facing punishment from the university in addition to any legal action they might face if charged by the police.

“We are embarrassed and disappointed that Mercer students engaged in such thoughtless and destructive behavior,” the statement read.

“While art cannot be replaced, the University will work with the Macon Arts Alliance to recreate the bear that was destroyed. We express our profound apologies to the Macon Arts Alliance, which has overseen the Trail of Bears project, to Connie Redd, the artist who invested countless hours to create this particular bear, and to the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, which funded the project through the Knight Neighborhood Challenge.”

The bear is one of six fiberglass statues purchased with a $15,000 grant funded by the Knight Neighborhood Challenge, which was awarded by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia in October 2009. Macon Arts Alliance applied for and administered the grant, and the bears were installed by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

The arts alliance held a ribbon-cutting dedication Thursday morning to mark the opening of the Trail of Bears.

Macon Arts Alliance Executive Director Jim Coleman said in a statement: “The bear which was stolen (Saturday) was damaged beyond repair and cannot be fixed. This project was the culmination of several partnerships within the community with the goal of making Macon a more engaging and beautiful place to live, work and play. It’s hard to believe that anyone would want to destroy something that is meant to make their life better. We are saddened by this turn of events, but we will pursue all remedies for replacing this bear.”

Dye said he didn’t know if the bear was insured.

The students physically removed the bear from its base, which was still bolted down in the park Sunday. The bear, which has large cracks along its front and back sides, is currently being stored by the Mercer police.

Dye said each bear was handpainted by a different artist.

“We’re going to look at every possible avenue for a replacement,” Dye said.

This story was originally published October 31, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Bear statue allegedly vandalized by Mercer University students."