GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — For the next two weeks, artists from all over the world will showcase their art for all of West Michigan to see and enjoy at ArtPrize.
But for one artist, 74-year-old Thomas Ackerman, the experience looks a little different.
On Monday, Ackerman set up his ArtPrize entry at Canal Park overlooking the Grand River.
“The idea was to show my life story, which was addicted to nicotine from ages 15 to 40. And then a few years ago, I finally realized I’d been addicted to running, adrenaline for the next 40 years,” he told News 8.
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A few days later, when he went to see his piece on the first day of the competition, Ackerman was greeted by an unfortunate surprise.
“Came back yesterday, it’s gone. What happened?” he said. “I could see the base, sticking a little bit out of the water. Somebody ruined this, tore it all apart and threw the base in the water. Gone.”
Ackerman said the piece was titled Addiction Swapping to symbolize his drastic life change to quit smoking cigarettes and start running marathons. Since he quit smoking, Ackerman said he has participated in 12 marathons in addition to 23 River Bank Runs over the past decades.