An outdoor tribute to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Salzburg is missing a large portion of its display. Over 200 gold statuettes, each depicting the composer with his dog, were removed from the exhibition grounds over the past several weeks. These figures, created by artist Ottmar Hörl for the composer's 270th anniversary, were intended to bring a human touch to the celebration.
Officials report that the theft started shortly after the July 15 installation. Out of an initial set of 320 polymer pieces, 210 have vanished. Hörl believes the scale of these disappearances points to organized theft rather than random souvenir-taking by park visitors.
Organizers are currently unable to replace the missing items because the manufacturer is away for the holiday season. The remaining statuettes are now spaced further apart to maintain the visual presence of the exhibit, which remains open to the public through August 30.
While the loss is significant, Hörl is familiar with the risks of public art. He previously experienced similar incidents during a Richard Wagner installation in Germany. He noted that the nature of displaying work in an open space often involves dealing with theft or damage as a reality of the environment.