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Vallejo commission seeks investigation into missing public artworks from city storage
Summary
Commissioners reported missing and deteriorating public artworks stored behind Building 535 on Mare Island, asked staff to re-open an inquiry, and agreed to add an agenda item to consider tactics — including a public notice and an ad hoc committee to oversee recovery and reinstallation.
The Vallejo Commission on Culture and Arts on May 27 asked city staff to investigate a string of missing and deteriorating public artworks kept in city storage and to report back to the commission.
At the meeting, Vice Chair Vidor urged a formal inquiry after commissioners’ site visits found crates disintegrating and several works unaccounted for. “These are assets for the city and they were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and now they’re gone,” Vice Chair Vidor said.
Commissioners described specific losses and risks: the Luther Gibson sculpture was pictured without its head, a waterfront propeller that had been in storage is reported stolen, and several pieces that had been installed on public plazas could not be located in the warehouse behind Building 535 on Mare Island. Commissioners said the storage crates and wooden packing for stone pieces were decaying and called for assessment and reinstallation plans for salvageable works.
A city staff member said Public Works previously investigated reports of missing art in 2022 but did not resolve the matter and that staff will ask Public Works to look again and report findings to the commission as they are available. “We will report back as soon as we get the information,” the staff member said, while noting police confidentiality may limit what can be shared about any active investigation.
Commissioners agreed to place “art in storage” and related tactics to address stolen pieces on the commission’s futures list for fuller discussion in June, and suggested forming an ad hoc committee — possibly jointly with the Beautification Commission — to develop inventory, security, reinstallation and funding recommendations. Some commissioners also proposed publishing a list of missing pieces to solicit public leads but noted that the decision to publicize would need to be agendized.
The commission asked staff to include information about who oversaw the storage and inventories in past years to help identify process or oversight gaps. The next step is for staff to report findings and for the commission to decide whether to recommend formal action to city council or to open a more formal investigation.
The commission moved on to other business after directing staff to follow up; no motion creating a staff directive was passed at the meeting and the inquiry is to proceed as an administrative follow-up subject to future agenda placement.
