UK: Work by Welsh sculptor William Goscombe-John targeted by art thieves

From Wales Online.co.uk: Work by Welsh sculptor William Goscombe-John targeted by art thieves

THE “national sculptor of Wales” is being repeatedly targeted by art thieves and not crooks trying to make a fast buck flogging metal to scrapyards – according to an arts charity.

This is the message being put out by statues charity the Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA) and they warn dozens of William Goscombe-John’s works are at risk.

His Joyance statue in Cardiff’s Thompson’s Park has been taken four times. The bronze has now been replaced with a plastic version.

And a memorial to his Swiss-born wife Marthe Weiss has been taken twice in London. The first time it was discovered at auction after being swiped from Hampstead Cemetery in 2001. Then it was stolen from inside a locked shed at East Finchley Cemetery in 2006. It remains missing.

PMSA deputy chairman Ian Leith said the Rodin-influenced artist’s works can be worth tens of thousands of pounds.

“It is quite clear Goscombe-John is in artistic demand,” he said. “Goscombe-John is a favourite and he is the key proof that these are being stolen for collectors as well as for metal.

“If you’re going into the middle of a pond in Thompson’s Park you are trying to find a sculpture, not just a piece of metal.”

Joyance was most recently replaced in February after being cut last year from the water fountain it stood on.

“Unless some organisation takes responsibility to audit and monitor thefts we’ll get the sculpture losses we deserve.”

Cardiff born Goscombe-John’s works appear all over Wales. Pieces can be found in locations including Aberdare, Aberystwyth, Bala, Cardiff, Caernarfon, Lampeter, Llanelli, Llansannan, Merthyr Tydfil, Mold, Monmouth, Penarth, Pontypridd and Wrexham.

His statues are also dotted around the rest of the UK and the globe. There are pieces at both St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.

“He is extremely important,” said Mr Leith. “You can’t get better than this. This is what I’m trying to say. People collect anything by him. There are books on him.”

He insisted “you can’t exaggerate” the importance of the artist, who died in 1952 aged 92. “He is the national sculptor of Wales, you could easily argue,” he said.

Richard Cook is the councillor for Cardiff’s Canton ward, where the statue stands. He said: “The original was taken about 40 years ago. That was made from bronze. Subsequent ones have been made from some base metal.

“And it has now been replaced with some sort of resin plastic that will hopefully be less attractive to thieves.”

Coun Cook said a “couple of copies” had been made so the statue could be replaced quickly.

A South Wales Police spokesman said: “Criminals are indiscriminately targeting metal objects for their scrap value. In some cases it is possible for objects to be targeted for their value as public art.”