Sæbraut Public Artwork Vandalised In “Politically Motivated” Act

The public artwork Partnership (Samband), which is on display on Sæbraut near Höfði in Reykjavík, has been vandalised in an “act of political motivation”, reports Vísir.

In conversation with Vísir, Sigurður Trausti Traustason, Head of Collections and Research at the Reykjavík Art Museum, claimed that the sculpture is not damaged but needs extensive cleaning. Furthermore, he said that the vandalism will not leave a permanent mark on the display.

According to Sigurður, the vandalism was conducted in the early morning hours of June 26, where the offender threw red acrylic paint over the sculpture, and doused it with wood glue and feathers.

Partnership (Samband) is a sculpture made by artist Pétur Bjarnason. Unveiled in 1991, then-U.S. ambassador to Iceland Charles E. Cobb Jr. gifted the artwork to the City of Reykjavík to commemorate the two countries’ 50 year of diplomatic cooperation.