Officials still question disappearance of Showalter fish

After more than two months, there are still no leads on the disappearance of one fish from the Showalter Fountain.

On Aug. 1, the 400-pound statue was roughly separated from the base it once sat.

“I call it vandalism — it’s grand theft, and it ruins the sculpture. It costs the University a lot of money, and it is artistically unfortunate,” said Sherry Rouse, curator of campus art for the IU Office of Risk Management.

The fish has been stolen twice before: once during the 1987 NCAA championships and once when basketball coach Bobby Knight was fired. Whether the motives behind these disappearances have been celebratory or sorrowful is unknown. This past August, the vandal’s reasoning for stealing the fish is even less clear.

“It could just be a trophy of sorts,” said IU Police Department Chief Keith Cash, who is also in charge of investigating the case.

Regardless, the missing statue has been reported to the International Foundation of Art Research. If the vandals try to sell this statue, merchants will be notified that it is stolen.

For a more in-depth story, check Wednesday’s Indiana Daily Student.

— Nona Tepper