This story has been updated.
The FBI appears to now be involved in the investigation into an explosion that damaged a controversial piece of art in the 300 block of West Commerce Street in the area downtown known as the Zona Cultural, according to reporting from Texas Public Radio, whose headquarters is located across the street.
Monday afternoon, TPR staff released video footage from security cameras outside the building.
A man wearing a face mask, lime green shirt, black pants, black hat and a black armband approaches the structure at 2:25 a.m., according to the camera time stamp.
Startled by an automatic light that detects his movement, he pauses, then continues to place something near the sculpture.
TPR said it edited the footage to remove about six minutes from when the alleged bomb was planted to when it exploded at approximately 2:31 a.m. Footage shows white smoke surrounding the area.
The FBI declined to comment, according to TPR’s story.
The sculpture of a giant polished steel head of Vladimir Lenin, with a tiny Mao Zedong balancing on top, showed damage at the base of the sculpture and under Lenin’s chin. The San Antonio Police Department had the area cordoned off Monday morning.
An SAPD spokeswoman said the investigation has been passed onto the San Antonio Fire Department’s Arson Bureau, which confirmed there were no injuries and that the incident, coming a day before Election Day, is being investigated as “criminal mischief.”
Robert Featherston, who lives in a nearby apartment complex, said he heard a “very large explosion” just after 2 a.m.
“I initially thought it was thunder, like right-over-the-top of me kind of thunder,” Featherston said. “But I rolled out of bed, got to the window. There was no lightning, there was no secondaries, then I looked down and saw that there was this white cloud, almost steam-like, that was filling up this little pavilion area in front of the Lenin statue.”
What appears to be a bomb was detonated under a sculpture next to the TPR headquarters in San Antonio early Monday morning. The sculpture is not on our property.
— Texas Public Radio (@TPRNews) November 7, 2022
This footage is from our security cameras.
The FBI, SAPD, SAFD and other agencies are investigating. pic.twitter.com/NjVn2io26K
Featherston said he called 9-1-1 and reported the incident, then, a few minutes later, noticed white smoke coming out of the top of the sculpture, and so called to report that as well.
“I don’t know if there was something else inside the statue or not, but no fires,” he said. “By the time law enforcement and fire got to the statue, it had all disappeared.”
The controversial sculpture, titled Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head, created by Beijing artists Gao Zhen and Gao Qiang, together known as the Gao Brothers, was brought to San Antonio by developer and art collector James Lifshutz.
Lifshutz, who arrived late morning to inspect damage to the sculpture, was not available for comment.
Officials would not speculate on the motivation of the vandalism, but the sculpture has continuously generated controversy, including while it was on display at the Vancouver Biennale.
The sculpture’s arrival in San Antonio was met with angry criticism from many who understood it to be a defense of communism and the two leaders, as opposed to a satirical critique.
