University police took Compton resident Ricky Lee Owens, 47,
into custody Thursday in connection with the vandalism of four
sculptures in Rolfe Courtyard last week.
The sculptures, made by Venice artist Robert Graham, were
toppled from their pedestals and damaged during late evening Aug. 8
or in the early morning of Aug. 9.
A press release from UCLA, issued on Aug. 11, said “the
sculptures were partially wrapped in newspaper and forcibly removed
from their pedestals and pushed to the ground.”
Owens is not affiliated with UCLA, said UCPD Watch Commander
James Vandenberg. Owens is currently being held in county jail.
Vandenberg added that it was not the first time Owens has been
arrested by the UCPD. He has also been arrested for various
misdemeanor crimes on campus, including trespassing and
lodging.
UCPD’s detective bureau investigated the vandalism, and,
based on an interview and physical evidence, was able to arrest
Owens for the crime.
Owens is currently being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.
Vandenberg said the case will be presented to the district
attorney, who will decide on the charges to be brought against
Owens sometime this week.
No one else was taken into custody in connection with the
vandalism.
The damaged pieces included “Lori,” a female torso
and three columns that are part of the Duke Ellington memorial.
“From what I can see, these things had to be pulled down
with chains. They weigh up to 1,800 pounds ““ they are big
pieces,” Graham said.
Carol Stogsdill, a spokeswoman for UCLA, said the sculptures
will definitely be repaired and returned to the courtyard.
Six other sculptures by Graham in the courtyard were not
damaged. They had been donated by Ray Doumani, Stogsdill said, and
are part of the university’s collection through the UCLA
Hammer Museum.
The toppled sculptures are currently being held off-site while
the damage is being assessed.
“UCLA takes great pride in being home to some of the
greatest publicly accessible outdoor sculptures in the country, and
we are very saddened and extremely concerned by such attacks on
creative and artistic expression,” said Daniel Neuman,
executive vice chancellor and provost, in the university press
release.
“The university is fully committed to the long-term
display of public art, and we will be reinstalling these works by
Graham as soon as possible,” Neuman said.
The incident occurred the night before a California Coastal
Commission hearing in Costa Mesa that heard objections to
installation of another work by Graham in Venice. The commission
acted to allow the new work to be installed.
Graham said he could not draw any direct connection between
denial of the appeal and the vandalism, but called the timing of
the damage a “strange coincidence.”
With reports from Bruin wire services.