What was once a striking red-and-white landmark in Calgary’s East Village now stands charred and blackened.

The city’s upside-down church sculpture, officially titled Device to Root Out Evil, has been vandalized—leaving some residents upset and looking for answers.

The sculpture, a public art installation, was discovered damaged on Oct. 29 after Calgary Fire crews responded to the scene. The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), which brought the piece to East Village in 2019 on a zero-dollar lease through a non-profit foundation, confirmed the incident and said they are investigating.

“I feel bad that they started a fire on it,” said Adam, a local resident. “It makes this place feel a little scary because of what they did.”

The artwork, which has long been a popular photo spot an

See Full Page