There really was an original Salvador Dalí painting at Rikers Island. Dalí was set to visit the prisoners on 26 February 1965, but he was unable to attend due to illness. Instead, he quickly painted a surrealist version of Jesus' crucifixion, and inscribed it with (spelling errors intact) the following: "For the dinning room of the prisoners Rikers Island S.D."He sent it along with his associate, who was told to say, "He'd like to give a message to the prisoners that you are artists. Don't think your life is finished for you. With art, you have to always feel free." It was, quite disrespectfully, hung next to the trash cans in the cafeteria and, when prisoners disposed of their trays, the painting became splattered with leftover food. In 1981, a new warden moved the painting to an office, where it sat for several years before being moved to a spot next to the vending machines. The painting was stolen on 1 March 2003--not by prisoners, but by two deputy wardens who thought they could fence the painting for at least $1 million. They triggered a false lockdown and then removed the painting and hung a replacement. By June 2003, four members of prison staff had been arrested and charged with grand larceny: one was sentenced to 3 years in prison, one received 5 years probation, another received 3 years probation, and one was acquitted. The painting has never been recovered.
