Wednesday, July 6, 2005

Figure stolen from art installation

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

"American Horse" by Thom Ross, one of numerous statues dpicting the historic events of Custer's Last Stand on June 25, 1876, was stolen from Sun Valley Festival Meadows over the weekend.

Artist Thom Ross' Battle of the Little Big Horn sculpture installation depicts the historic events on June 25, 1876, in large wood and acrylic figures held in place by metal rods. The work was installed at the Sun Valley Festival Meadows on Sun Valley Road during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

On Thursday, June 30, Ross camped out next to the installation, but was told the next day by Sun Valley police that they "prefer he not camp there," Ross said on Tuesday, while taking down the installation. The Kneeland Gallery leased the land for the installation from the city of Sun Valley.

Like Custer, Ross lost. One of the 200 pieces, the 9-foot tall "American Horse," was stolen Friday night.

Ross checked on the work after the Gallery Walk on Friday, July 1. On Saturday morning, he noticed one of the metal posts was empty.

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"The way it looked, it was one of the front ones and someone just drove up, ran and got it and drove away," he said.

The traveling exhibition is in commemoration of the 129th anniversary of the famous Custer's Last Stand between the 7th Calvary and an overwhelming force of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. Ross' paintings of the event are currently on display at Kneeland Gallery, 271 First Avenue in Ketchum.

After the theft, Kneeland hired a private security guard to patrol the site until Tuesday. The gallery is offering a $500 reward for any information leading to the recovery of the Native American figure. Call 726-5512.