GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — At Canal Park overlooking the Grand River, Thomas Ackerman stood in the space where his ArtPrize entry once filled. Setting up his piece earlier in the week, he discovered it had disappeared on Friday, and then found what was left in the Grand River.
"It was a giant pack of crumpled cigarettes that were down here, and then from that, there's one cigarette sticking up the filter of a cigarette, and then it morphs into a tree that's about about 10 or 12 feet tall," said Ackerman as he described his piece titled Addiction Swapping.
Ackerman says he was addicted to cigarettes from the ages of 15 to 40. His piece was meant to show his transition from quitting cigarettes to his love for running, an "addiction" he says that has led to him living a more healthy and full life.
"Out of that tree comes these branches that have running shoes, old running shoes, and medals and stickers and all stuff running race related," said Ackerman.
A catalyst for change in his life came after his father passed away in 1985.
"He retired at the age of 65 on his birthday in May, and died in October the same year," said Ackerman. "His heart just stopped working, and you say to yourself, 'Is that what I'm looking for?' And at that point, I'm still smoking two packs a day, and I said to myself, I think I got to be around here for my kids."
Ackerman shared the long journey of quitting smoking, which involved taking walks to calm himself down when feeling anxious, which then became going on regular runs.
"Since then, I have run, you know, 12 marathons," said Ackerman, in addition to 23 River Bank Runs over the past 30 years.
After his piece being secure for the majority of the week, Ackerman says he came to the park on Friday to find his piece missing. He spotted one of the shoes from his piece stuck in a tree.
He then says he walked down toward the water where he saw a branch of his piece and the base sticking out of the water. The running shoes, and his personal medals missing as well.
"I hope it was somebody who really can use those shoes," said Ackerman which was followed by a chuckle. He says while left disappointed, he has received much support from the ArtPrize organizers who brought people to help retrieve what was left of his piece from the water, and now has it displayed in the ArtPrize main building alongside a photo of the piece before it was vandalized.
"I've been working on it for not quite a year, but almost, and it hurts to have an idea like that gone," said Ackerman.
While wanting people to respect art, he adds he hopes his work can inspire people to find what makes them the most engaged in their lives.
"Engage, do something that that interests you," said Ackerman. "Just participate in life and enjoy it, and find out what what to do next."
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Grand Rapids Police or Silent Observer.
ArtPrize says they partner with GRPD and various city departments to keep participants and guests safe, and asks for people to report any act of vandalism they see to any of the artwork.
People can also contact support@artprize.org to notify ArtPrize staff of any acts of vandalism.