Ram raid ‘sad attack’ on gallery
Community spirit hasn’t diminished since the ram raid that crashed into The Mandarin Tree Gallery in Gordonton.
In fact, the local school has painted a tree laden with the citrus fruit on the temporary plyboard securing the building.
But there’s still unanswered questions as to why the store was targeted in the first place.
‘‘I’m sad that someone out there chose to do this,’’ artist Jo Pervan said.
‘‘We have a lot of support in this country for people who need help, so to know these people were so desperate or so selfish to think it was okay to damage things and attempt to take what isn’t theirs is just bizarre.’’
Pervan is from Whitikahu and had exhibited her work at Morrinsville’s Wallace Gallery in the past.
She had been been exhibiting at The Mandarin Tree Gallery from October 11. Wednesday will be her final showing.
Throughout the exhibition, Pervan was conducting a silent auction to raise money for the New Zealand charity For the Sake of Our Children Trust.
The art piece up for sale was called Safe House and was made from Oamaru stone and black lead crystal cast glass.
The vehicle narrowly missed hitting some of her pieces.
Waikato Police Senior Sergeant Ray Malcolmson said a car was driven through the front glass windows of the gallery at 12.30am on November 15.
It appeared the thieves had gone straight for the till, but left empty-handed as no cash was kept on site.
‘‘Of course the first thing you think of is whether anyone is hurt, and lucky everyone is okay. The next thought is of all the artwork and if it’s okay, damaged or stolen,’’ Pervan said.
‘‘Some of the work I have in the gallery has hours and hours of labour involved and it is wellknown that artists put a part of themselves into their work more often than not.’’
There were pieces from Pervan’s exhibition sold and ready for collection and she said it would have been awful to replicate and replace something damaged.
But Pervan is glad to see the community rallying behind the gallery.
‘‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,’’ she said.