Students Say Removed Brooklyn College Art Also Deliberately Trashed

Remember the Brooklyn College thesis artwork at the Brooklyn War Memorial that was shut down on May 4 by Brooklyn Borough Parks Commissioner, Julius Spiegel, who called it not "appropriate for families"? Well, Brooklyn's latest nastiness over "unsuitable" art has taken another turn with the artists alleging "shocking" damage to the removed works.

onNYTurf picks up the narrative: "The artists' found their final thesis projects in pieces, several with damage so complete as to be irreparable, others have parts, drawing, and paintings completely missing and some found parts out on a loading dock where trash is picked up....This saga has gone from startling to incomprehensible. Students and BC faculty were deeply troubled when the Brooklyn College administration sent workers to move the artworks but did not inform students that they were doing so. All were fearful that the workers could damage the work. Those fears have now been realized but to an extent that might be shocking to even the most cynical." (The damage to some works, apparently, can't be determined because they can't be found.)

The student art is now slated to be displayed at 70 Washington Street in Dumbo in space donated by developer David Walentas, assuming it can all be found and repaired. Perhaps it's just GL's touchy feely side, but even if you condone removing the art, don't you think that yanking it in such a way that you commit vandalism is a line that an institution of higher education--or any government agency or private entity--ought not cross?