A public art tribute in Salzburg, Austria, honoring Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his 270th birthday has been significantly diminished following the disappearance of more than 200 gold statuettes. The Mozarteum Foundation originally unveiled 320 of the polymer figures on July 15, each standing just under 50 centimeters tall and depicting the famous composer alongside his favorite dog, Pimperl. Designed by German conceptual artist Ottmar Hörl, the figures were intended to highlight the human side of the genius rather than creating another traditional monument.
By Wednesday, officials confirmed that 210 of the statuettes had vanished from the exhibition, which was spread across the garden of the composer's former residence, his living quarters, and several surrounding pavilions. The pace of the losses was rapid, with more than 80 figures disappearing within the first two weeks of the display. Hörl, who noted that he does not believe the items were taken by casual visitors, characterized the incident as an act of organized theft.
While the artist acknowledged that public space installations often carry risks of theft or damage, he expressed frustration, stating that for an artist, the worst outcome is when their work simply dissolves. Hörl had planned to sell the statues for approximately 100 euros, or $114, following the conclusion of the exhibition, meaning the thieves are unlikely to have secured a significant financial windfall. Unfortunately, the organizers had only set aside a limited number of spare statuettes, and with the manufacturer currently away on holiday, there is no immediate way to replace the missing pieces. Consequently, the remaining figures are now arranged with wider spacing.
This is not the first time Hörl has faced such challenges; a complete collection of his Richard Wagner statues was stolen during an installation in Bayreuth, Germany, within just 10 days. Despite the setbacks, the Mozart exhibition is expected to remain on display through August 30. Reflecting on the nature of his work, Hörl maintained that artists working in public spaces must accept the reality of these environments, including the potential for vandalism and theft.
“I didn’t want to do a monument of Mozart. There are already enough of these. But I wanted to show his human side, that he was a normal human being despite his genius,” Hörl told The Associated Press.
