Thieves make off with 5 paintings from exhibit
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SEATTLE -- Thieves broke into a Seattle art gallery and made off with a series of works to be featured in an international show, leaving the artist's upcoming tour in jeopardy.
The show opened at Art Space Hiawatha, and before the exhibit could head to Los Angeles for the official opening, someone broke in and stole five key paintings from the exhibit.
The pieces that were taken on Saturday night belong to Hispanic artist Esteban Silva. Thieves yanked them from the walls, passing over more valuable works to concentrate on a series of paintings that celebrate Mexican independence and the country's relationship with the U.S.
"In this particular exhibit, he is very political, and he thinks it is a personal attack," said the artist's friend and translator Oscar Centeno. "In this moment he feels lost, because he had so many plans to exhibit and to like work."
In a strange twist, Seattle police say thieves also stole the wheels off of a car.
Silva feels just as stuck, knowing a major art exhibit is just two weeks away, and a big chunk of his collection is missing.
"This is very puzzling to me, because I have no idea why they stole those pieces from me," Centeno said, translating for Silva.
Silva hopes someone can help him recover these stolen works, which together are worth more than $5,000.
The exhibit in Los Angeles is set to open Aug. 11, and is scheduled to head to Mexico City next.
The show opened at Art Space Hiawatha, and before the exhibit could head to Los Angeles for the official opening, someone broke in and stole five key paintings from the exhibit.
The pieces that were taken on Saturday night belong to Hispanic artist Esteban Silva. Thieves yanked them from the walls, passing over more valuable works to concentrate on a series of paintings that celebrate Mexican independence and the country's relationship with the U.S.
"In this particular exhibit, he is very political, and he thinks it is a personal attack," said the artist's friend and translator Oscar Centeno. "In this moment he feels lost, because he had so many plans to exhibit and to like work."
In a strange twist, Seattle police say thieves also stole the wheels off of a car.
Silva feels just as stuck, knowing a major art exhibit is just two weeks away, and a big chunk of his collection is missing.
"This is very puzzling to me, because I have no idea why they stole those pieces from me," Centeno said, translating for Silva.
Silva hopes someone can help him recover these stolen works, which together are worth more than $5,000.
The exhibit in Los Angeles is set to open Aug. 11, and is scheduled to head to Mexico City next.
