Last night, one art-lover declared herself “disgusted” at the desecration.
“Almost all the sculptures have been vandalised and the head has been ripped off one of them,” she said.
Artist Antonius Roberts, who created the figures from dead casuarina stumps, has been notified of the damage.
Mr Roberts, who is currently in China, is awaiting public reaction to the vandalism before deciding what to do about it.
The Sacred Space sculptures – depicting slave women looking back towards Africa – have been hailed as one of the most haunting pieces of art in the Bahamas.
Mr Roberts sculpted the forms last year and another artist, Tyrone Ferguson, provided bells to hang in the trees round the site.
Foreign visitors have been so impressed by the forms that Mr Roberts has been asked to reproduce them elsewhere. There is now a Sacred Space in Germany.
On one figure, the words ‘Tree killer’ and ‘Peter C was here’ appear close to a drawing of a skull. Underneath are the words: “The trees were already dead. The art saves their history and presence. Love it! MM” – apparently written by a well meaning art-lover who merely worsened the damage.
Vulgar additions have been made to other sculptures on the site.
Sacred Space, which stands close to Clifton Oil Depot, was to have been the beginning, of a collection of artwork in the area.
Artists hoped it would become an ‘art park’ with tourist appeal.
With slave cottages of the old Whylly plantation standing nearby, it was hoped the African theme could have been developed.
A visitor to the site said: “It’s a great pity that people can’t leave things like this alone. Apart from gang signs, Nassau is remarkably free of graffiti, but there always seems to be one sad case who ruins things for everyone else.”
