La Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario is hoping for the return of a piece of art stolen early Sunday morning during an after-hours concert the gallery hosted as part of the Up Here – Urban Art & Music Festival.
The art — a two-and-a-half foot tall multi-sided cone painted with geometric patterns — is part of GNO's Nouveaux Troglodytes exhibit by Toronto artist Philippe Blanchard.
GNO communications officer Daniel Aubin figures it went missing at around 3 a.m. Sunday.
“There were people there to make sure everything was under control,” he said. “But there was just so many people here, and somehow someone made off with one of the cones.”
Up Here festival organizers have created a missing poster for the artwork, which is now being shared widely on social media.
Aubin said he hasn't involved the police yet, as he's hoping the person who took the artwork will bring it back. If that happens, there will be no questions asked, he said.
“We really hope that that person will find it within themselves to return it,” he said.
“We'd be happy just to accept it back, no questions asked. Sometimes in the heat of the moment you're having a lot of fun at the concert, and it seems like a really good idea to leave with a piece of artwork. Maybe the next morning it's time for you to reconsider your actions.”
