A 49 year old man last week intentionally drove his car into Thunderbunny, a 14 ft blue mosaic bunny sculpture, just days after it was erected at Justin Flippen Park in Wilton manors, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale. The man, identified by police as Derek Modrok, drove his car into the sculpture at approximately 11:30 am, according to witnesses. Police were able to arrest Modrok who admitted to vandalizing another sculpture at Rachel Richardson Park on May 16th.
Thunderbunny, by artist Hunt Slonem, had been installed less than a week ago when the vandalism took place. The work was loaned to the City of Wilton Manors by New River Fine Art on Las Olas Blvd. “The sculpture born from an early mosaic piece I created for a West Palm Beach building, has been years in the making, with its Floridian origins lending it a profound connection” stated Slonem. “The recent vandalism of Thunderbunny saddens me deeply. However, I find solace in the power of art and the unwavering support of our community”.
“Public Art is meant to bring cultural enrichment and beauty for all to enjoy. That an individual would choose to take his personal grievances out on public works is extremely disturbing.”, stated Lisa Burgess, owner of New River Fine Art. Burgess is also on the City of Ft. Lauderdale Art and Public Placement Advisory Board and serves on the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.
“The City of Wilton Manors will work with New River Fine Art to determine the best way to repair the sculpture and reinforce the area surrounding it to prevent vandalism or accidents in the future”, says Leigh Ann Handerson, City Manager, City of Wilton Manors. “The Thunderbunny sculpture has brought so much joy and excitement to the Wilton Manors community. The act of vandalism that occurred was upsetting but we look forward to the full restoration or the iconic sculpture. I am grateful for the quick actions of our Police Department to apprehend the vandal.”
Thunderbunny is valued at $300,000.00 and was scheduled to be on loan for a year.
