An art exhibit on display outside a hotel in Limerick was torn down by vandals over the weekend.
The piece, by Kerry artist Seán Lynch, was part of this year's ev+a exhibition, an annual showing of contemporary art in Limerick. It was on display outside the main door of Hanratty's Hotel on Glentworth Street.
Lynch's work focused on the revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, who stayed at Hanratty's Hotel in March 1956 while on a stopover from Prague to Cuba. The piece consisted of a row of coloured beads, depicting Guevara's face. It had been hoped that the setting would help arouse public interest.
Labour TD Jan O'Sullivan, a member of the ev+a committee, said it was an appalling act, especially as the 31st exhibition was only launched on Thursday.
"I would appeal to the public to respect the art that's in the exhibition. One of the hallmarks of ev+a is that the art is there on the streets for the public to see and appreciate and not just in the art galleries, so it's particularly disappointing in that sense," she said.
Lynch had originally sought permission to hang three red and black "beaded screens" at Shannon airport, where other pieces in his collection are now located. After permission was refused, the curator of ev+a 2007, German Klaus Ottman, asked the artist to find an alternative location.
Lynch's collection also includes an article from the Limerick Leader by Arthur Quinlan on Che Guevara's visit.