On my daily ride from CSULA to home in Lincoln Heights I came across this sight. I’m sure you can’t tell from the photo of what used to be there, but I remember:
Just as I thought the following mural was not legal:
And I think conducive to its message is the fact that it was allowed, permitted, sanctioned, or pled into existence. It just did. But the controllers of the public mind and space have other things in mind for us. This mural has been destroyed but thanks to a previous post it will not be forgotten.
What has not been destroyed on Valley Blvd, where this mural was, are the plethora of billboards with messages of conspicuous consumption of health destroying fast-food or frustration-dulling legal drug-use (i.e. liquor). Those will go on warping our desires and needs. That’s o.k. in America; this message cloaked in blood red was not.
—- UPDATE 5/19/09 —-
I did some blog searching & found that someone else also took some photos of the now erased mirror, found here. http://jaebueno.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/images-los-angeles-street-art-lincoln-heights-echo-park/
The only difference is that I don’t watermark my images because FUCK ownership of intellectual property. I’m so post-modern & anarchist it’s crazy.
Such a nice mural ruined so that there can be more tagging spots. The logic of the city bureaucrats, en donde un solo mundo absurdo puede existir, is illogical. Hope someone has enough paint to put it up again.
that’s fucking lame!
What A bummer! I loved seeing that bright jolt of color and inspiring message on my commute to downtown!
But then again, I was sad too when taggers and subsequently the city graffiti removal had obliterated some “ghosts” of old painted-on advertisements that could still be read on the wall. Though memory fails me when I try to recall just what the old sign was selling…train service? A beverage? Anyone else remember seeing it?
That is some serious BS. This must go up, AGAIN! I, along with a bunch of friends, will help. There is no doubt. Despite not having painting experience, I volunteer my services. This must go back up!! When does a blank wall mean more than a beautiful mural.!!?? If we can’t get enough red paint, maybe we can…never mind, maybe I’m just seeing red, at the moment. Count me in, just say when. FYI No compromise!
im sorry for being so naive but i thought this mural was new. the other day i drove thru here and i saw people gathering around bridge, i thought they had just finished it. whats the story?
Lex, I think there was Betty Boop wishing you a Merry Christmas there for YEARS. Then blank, and until recently that bright-red mural.
rolo, this mural WAS new (that sounds oxymoronic) but it has recently been painted over. Whitewashed.
I’ll miss it.
This is the kind of thing that puts me in a constant bad mood. Commercial stupid crap can get an OK by the city, but something to make people think. That’s bad, very bad. It make me very annoyed of how the gov’t seems to have a vested interest in keeping certain segments (like 90% of the population) on their knees.
Yeah I’ve been walking around Lincoln Heights and I have to say the LAPD around here is a bit more hardcore than I thought it would be. Just sitting around on Broadway harrassing people. I always see them pulling over Latina mom looking people. Pretty much every time I got up Broadway a Latina mom in a mini van or some other kid transporting device is being messed with by the po-po.
They city seems to like spending lots of time fucking with people in Lincoln Heights.
Browne
The Starbucks execs that are probably going to build there probably discussed it. One of them probably said that it might be good for them, to attract “Hispanic” customers. Then the other one probably said that they weren’t sure about the terrorist looking scarf thing one of them had on their face. Then, they finally agreed to paint over it and have someone do a safer mural of Jennifer Lopez and Carlos Mencia, because they definitely do want that “latin flavor” at this particular Starbucks location.
How can that be white washed while those ugly ass billboards along Valley are left alone in the name of “free speech”?
Bullshit bullshit and more bullshit from our City Government.
That Sucks. Very Nice Old School Mural.
http://www.dimex1.com
D
it WAS betty boop!!! i was sad to see her go, maybe more so than now…
so sad to see it blank. I remember passing by and thinking…things are starting to turn around – what a great message for everyone to share, and believe in. painted over in a sad gray – wouldn’t it be neat if we painted all billboards gray??
I WAS AT THE ZAPATA MARCH WHEN THIS PIECE WAS SHOWN. THIS WAS A DOPE MURAL, TOO BAD IT IS NOW GONE!