• A late-night reveller damaged this statue. Photos by Ella Ross

BRITISH artist Gali May Lucas says she is saddened by the vandalism of her newly installed sculpture Absorbed by Light at FOMO Fremantle. 

In the very early hours of last Sunday morning a reveller targeted the artwork on their crawl home.  Ms Lucas said she’s had confirmation it was 

“someone at 2am who was drunk and decided to vandalise it”.

The interactive piece was created to provoke thought among Fremantle’s community about society’s obsession with technology. 

The all-white sculpture features three figures slouched on a bench with bent heads and gazes fixated on what resemble glowing smartphone screens. 

A space remains between the figures to encourage passers-by to sit and step away from social media. 

“It’s upsetting that someone felt the need to go a step further and damage it,” Lucas said.

“I’m unsure as to why someone would feel the need to do that to a piece of art.”

The drunken vandal kicked in the sculpted smartphones, cracking off the screens and damaging a figure’s hand in the process. 

“It’s such a shame for the community,” A FOMO eatery worker said “but it is typical”. 

The vandalism is now being investigated and Lucas says repairs are already in the pipeline.

The sculpture was original designed with collaborator Karoline Hinz for the 2019 Amsterdam Light Festival. The annual event, one of the biggest in the world, features light-based creations from international artists, illuminating the city’s canals from late November to January.

By ELLA ROSS