A photograph in Holmes Student Center was ripped off the wall and stolen Tuesday after students and a professor complained it was offensive, officials say.

The Elfie Wilkins-Nacht photograph titled Ave/Eva depicted two half naked-women with one wearing a veil over her face like those common in Arab countries. The complaints were believed to be of Middle-Eastern decent.

Erik Eide, Campus Activities Board visual arts coordinator, said the photograph was attached to the wall with security bolts. “Most likely the piece was damaged” when it was removed.

The piece was taken between 5 p.m. Monday and 8 a.m. Tuesday, Eide said. A student center employee discovered the photograph missing Tuesday morning.

Student Center Director Judd Baker said a student he met with last April and an NIU professor who called him last week both felt the photograph was offensive.

In addition, CAB secretary Dianne Gautcher said two students, one which appeared “Middle-Eastern”, approached her office last Friday visibly upset about the photograph.

There is no way to prove that anyone complaining about the photographs actually stole the picture, Eide said. No one could identify the students or professor except to notice their ethinic similarities.

Eide said he did not know how much the individual photograph was worth, but it was purchased along with 25 other photographs for less than $2,000.

Eide ad Baker said they, along with others, had talked to the student at the meeting last spring to discuss if the photograph was legally obscene.

“His (the student’s) objective was to have the piece removed,” Eide said.

Baker said te student was polite and thankful that time was taken to consider his views, but the student was unhappy that the picture would not be removed.

Eide said he could not tell if the student who approached Gautcher and the student in April’s meeting were the same since he was not present in both instances.

The incident was reported to the Student Association and the University Police.

The theft is unrelated to security problems CAB had with the SA last year in which the posession of various keys to the SA art storage room was unknown. Several valuable art pieces were missing.

The photograph was located near the student center automatic bank teller machines.