Los Angeles is often called the mural capital of the world — and no place is this truer than on the streets of Boyle Heights, where hundreds of walls at pharmacies, general stores, guitar shops and even churches have been transformed into urban artwork.
The murals depict Mexican American history, advertise businesses and take the form of abstract art at the hands of graffiti taggers.
But now some residents complain that they cannot tell some of the murals from the illegal graffiti that have long plagued the area. So the city is cracking down.
Using a little-known ordinance that allows the city to regulate murals that abut public property — including sidewalks — officials have notified some property owners that they must either modify or remove their murals.
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2 Comments:
My question is why can't a property own who has a permit-less mural... simply whitewash it and paint a new mural? Why do they have to use this "non-profit" mural organization??
That's bullshit. Either a mural has a permit or it doesn't. No permit... no mural. That makes sense. But to require someone to use this 3rd party for a mural on PRIVATE PROPERTY is ridiculous.
_eric
I work for the City of LA (Planning Dept.) and this makes no sense for anyone - the owners who wanted it, the artists, the City's beauty and economy. The problem is basicly one of an out of touch bureacracy that doesn't care to differentiate beween tags, art murals and normal wall signs.
Though, the planner in me sees some reasons for regulation (all other advertising is regulated for size, workmanship, harm to building, etc). But I bet the real reason are the influential homeowners complaining to their officials.
The problem is with the way they chose to deal with it is typically ass-backwards. They have their (usually legal) reasons that protect the City once it "blesses" a mural. But the need to repaint is totally stupid, unless there is a problem. But who defines that? I'd prefer a peer-based or neighborhood arts group. These murals are some of the most positive things you see on some East Los streets.
matt
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