Artist Plans To Rebuild Historical Society's Destroyed Marjorie Tallchief Statue

The sculptor who created a statue of Marjorie Tallchief, which was stolen and cut apart, plans to repair it with the parts found so far by police. The pieces were at two recycling centers, where one batch was sold for $260. Police have not identified the seller.

The six pieces recovered so far are not the complete statue. Sculptor Gary Henson is taking stock of what's left to work with.

“Like we don't know if we'll get the other hand yet, and the feet, one is mangled and the other is missing. I can do it again, and now I'm going to do it from pieces, and you won't be able to tell it was ever cut up when I'm done.”

The statue, on the grounds of the Tulsa Historical Society and part of a larger “Five Moons” display of ballerinas, was bent until it broke off the base, then taken away and cut into pieces. The other statues were not damaged. As a precaution, there's a plan to move all them further from the road, and to higher pedestals.

Henson said the value in the statue was what it represents and the finished piece, not the pieces.

“Together in one piece, it's worth a whole bunch of money, but like this, it's not worth much.”

Some of the repairs will happen in his teaching studio in Chelsea, at the Boys & Girls Club. Henson works there on most of projects, and he wants the children in his art classes to see the statue come back together. He was shocked that years after it was put on display, it was taken. Henson estimated it will take 18 months to repair the statue.

Related Story: Marjorie Tallchief Statue Stolen From Tulsa Museum Found In Pieces At Recycling Center