An outdoor art tribute to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Salzburg is missing a significant portion of its display. The Mozarteum Foundation installed 320 gold-colored statuettes across the composer's former residence and garden to mark his 270th birthday. These polymer sculptures depict the musician with his dog, Pimperl.
Since the exhibition opened on July 15, the count has dropped rapidly. While the show is scheduled to run through August 30, officials confirmed that 210 of the figures have disappeared. Artist Ottmar Hörl, who created the pieces, stated that the losses are likely the result of an organized theft rather than casual souvenir hunting by visitors.
This is not the first time Hörl has faced such losses during a public installation. He noted that similar thefts occurred when he placed sculptures of Richard Wagner in Bayreuth. Hörl accepts that public art faces the risk of damage or removal by the public.
The value of the missing statues is estimated at just under $25,000, as they were priced for sale at 100 euros each following the exhibition. Despite the ongoing disappearance of the figures, the foundation maintains the site as intended for the duration of the event.