Student - September 16, 2011

Heifer's backside stolen

An activist group calling itself the Black Claw Gang has stolen an artwork from the Zodiac canteen. Everything points to a student prank.

The Black Claw Gang with the Heifer's Backside.
The work in question is a stuffed heifer's backside, which has graced the walls of the zodiac canteen until recently. It was a gift from the Veetelers Study Association to the famous bull Adema's Athlete (d. 1943), whose stuffed head hung on the wall opposite the heifer's backside. This gave the bull something to look at, or to whet his appetite - that was the idea at the time anyway.

Culture
But the backside has gone. Kidnapped, as the activists have made known in a communication to Resource. This is the group's way of expressing its concern about the disappearance of Zodiac's culture when it moves into a new building on campus at the end of the year. The group feels that both the material culture and the stories and a sense of a home base should be taken along in the move. 'The first mission, safeguarding the story of the heifer's butt, has been accomplished.'

Inside job
In place of the backside there now hangs a white fluffy teddy bear. Remarkably enough, this swap has not been noticed, says an amazed caretaker, Chris van de Weerd. All the evidence points to the removal of the artwork having taken place a week ago. But no one reported the disappearance. Scrutiny of CCTV images have revealed nothing either. Evidence of an inside job, says Van de Weerd.