Neighborhood Watch: A Mount Pleasant Mural: Pleasant or Unpleasant?
The Issue: Mount Pleasant residents are divided over the design for a proposed community mural by D.C arts organization City Arts and artist Byron Peck. The mural, which would go up on a side of the Atonatl condominium building on Mt. Pleasant Street, consists of scenes from around the neighborhood—children reading, dancers in the Latino festival. What's wrong with that? Residents are bickering over everything from the number of pictures in the mural to whether the "right" Latin American country is represented. The uproar could threaten the mural's proposed funding from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. A resolution to the commission supporting the mural recently failed in Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1D.
Not Another Brick in the Wall: Jack McKay, the ANC commissioner who introduced the resolution, told City Desk in a e-mail that Mount Pleasant needs a mural. “Maybe his design wasn't the best, but it's better than bare brick,” he said. McKay blamed any problems with the mural on disparate ideas from the community. (According to Peck, he based the design on suggestions from around 60 people who attended neighborhood meetings starting in June.) McKay's take: “Art design by 'committee' is a dreadful concept."
Fresc-no: “The pictures that are used are random, somewhat strange,” Zahid Rathore, a seven-year resident of Mount Pleasant, said. While he feels bad that Peck devoted so much time to the mural, Rathore says he could make a better one—and he's even not artistically inclined.
The group Historic Mount Pleasant agrees with Zathore. In a Dec. 15 letter to the D.C. arts commission, the organization decried the mural's “picture album design” and dull colors. “This will not help beautify Mount Pleasant but will further help clutter it,” Fay Armstrong, Historic Mount Pleasant's president, wrote.
ANC commissioner McKay says that some Salvadoran residents of Mount Pleasant in particular have been turned off by the mural.
Next Step: The proposed mural goes to the arts commission for funding. Until then, Peck says he plans on “keeping a low profile.”
Mural design courtesy of Byron Peck/City Arts
3:56 pm
Ah, Mount Pleasant. They spend so much energy fighting about live music, tot lots, klingle road, and now murals. Meanwhile, Mt. Pleasant Street continues to attract more tumbleweeds than commerce.
4:29 pm
Can we get some money from the Mural Arts Commission to raze the burned out shell of an apartment building right in the middle of Mt. Pleasant street?
I'd be happy to build a brick wall for 2 or 3 murals to be painted on from that refuse.
4:49 pm
Yeah, when I saw this I thought that's "typical Mt. Pleasant." NIMBYs must oppose ALL change of any kind, even a small change that adds a little color to the streetscape, and can be easily painted over in the future. May as well pour molten acrylic over the entire neighborhood to preserve it as-is at this very moment, forever.
6:10 pm
The city is in FINANCIAL TROUBLR and tax money is being spent on shit like this! Also fuck this shit of what country to be represented and if Jack McKay wants a mural so bad let him pay for it, for christ sake!
6:20 pm
I concur with Rick Mangus comment. The only country that should be represented is the Unites States of America. Did these Hispanics from El Salvadro/Central America realize, they are now living in the United States. Shit, deport all illegal aliens and their anchor babies.
7:06 pm
You know that right now as I am writing this statement there are people in this town, many of whom have lived here all their life who don't have a enought food or money to pay basic utilities and to think that there is even talk or a promotion of this STUPID idea.
The same people who support crap like this are the guilt driven liberals who move into areas of this city to enhance their narrow minded and sheltered view of life and to fan their egos and then try to feed you the line, 'Diversity'.
Let's face it basic human needs trump over a STUPID mural.
8:27 pm
"You know that right now as I am writing this statement there are people in this town, many of whom have lived here all their life who don't have a enought food or money to pay basic utilities and to think that there is even talk or a promotion of this STUPID idea."
Look, there will always be people like that. And a true capitalist would say that that is their own fault and their own problem.
It's not like the city doesn't support those who can't support themselves. But the city also has to support itself and those who live in the city in a number of ways, one of those ways is by making the city a nicer place to live, and to do that means spending money on "upkeep" and "image improvement".
I don't think this is wrong unless the city is not involved in social programs that help residents more directly. But in any case it's still just "spreading the wealth" and the government can and should only go so far with that.
The other argument is that the government could cut costs to the bone and reduce taxes. If they do that instead of paying local artists to create local art, would that make you happy?
It really doesn't matter, any way this goes, there will be homeless people out on the streets of DC. Families that aren't making ends meet, people begging for food. The more people are here, the more opinions there will be both on taxes and spending.
11:11 am
Thank you for your racist outbursts Rick and Ward4, I love it when people show their true colors up front. I think you're living in the wrong part of the country if you always want to be surrounded by white, English speaking people. Try Alabama where you can join the Klan and be around other Americans who still mentally exist in 1950.
WAKE UP, America will never conform the lilly white image you still maintain in your head despite the fact that it hasn't been true for a couple decades. You're just going have to get used to the fact that many different ethnicities reside in this country and they are in fact people with their language and culture that aren't always going to be similar to ours. If this level of diversity boils your blood every day, I suggest you do the rest of us a favor and MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
11:40 am
The United States as we know it was founded by immigrants, all of them illegal. So whatever these idiots are here ranting about undocumented people living in the area misses the whole point. Mt. Pleasant is an area that is truly diverse and embodies an urban city- cultured and changing.
The people (historic society and one stupid anc) who oppose the mural aren't opposed to it because of any other reason than it doesn't represent an area that was once predominantly white.
I guarantee if it was a mural that was a representation of African Americans in Georgetown (this was once an all African-America neighborhood), the now predominantly white residents would be up in arms because it's not "historical" in their eyes. Let's see the Historcial Society come in to bat for African Americans on issues like this.
This mural is suppose to represent an area revitalize but rather, because issues of the other minority race (hispanics), the historical society thinks it can use vitrolic langauge to disparage this image that isn't to their liking.
And before anyone criticizes the City for using funds on this, why not explore what the Mayor and his frat buddies are doing with hudreds of millions of dollars in City funds first.
12:13 pm
'MarkDC' you are a fuck'en idot so I'm going to explain this at you're limited education level that you have showen in you're dumb ass remark.
First off anyone who cries racism shows me that you have no argument or any constructive comments on this matter, this shows you're lack of education and you're sheltered pathetic life.
This is the United States of America, not the United States of Central America, like it or not, it's a fact!
'MarkDC' you can join up with Jack McKay and pay for this stupid liberal project with you're own money, so put-up or shut-up!
1:01 pm
jf1 is right. Lost in all of this smoke is the fact that someone- probably some artist who otherwise would be that much closer to starving- is getting paid for this bit of beautification.
We pay people to sweep streets, empty garbage, plant and prune trees, and a whole host of other quality of life things, why not public art?
It's not just the value that the piece itself has, it's a little part of our own little new deal public works project.
1:04 pm
MarkDC and ResidentAlien can both kiss my brown ass. I am a native Washingtonian born in 1955 in the old Freedmans Hospital. I agree with Rick, this is the United States of America, not fucking El Salvador, Mexico, or other Central/South American countries. Hispanic is not a race of people you dumb asses. Many Dominicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, and Panamainians are of the black race. Shut the fuck up and kill yourselves. If you want a mural, then move the fuck to El Salvador or Mexico. I am sick of fucking liberalism and diversity. This is what's destroying the USA and the fucking liberal Democrats. By the way, the are lot's of blacks living in Alabama and the south. You should have used middle America to try and make your case asshole.
1:07 pm
For the record, I dislike Salvadorans. Most Salvadorans I have encountered are racist towards Afro Latinos and U.S. born blacks. If you are black and speak Spanish, these assholes from El Salvador/Mexico look at you as if you are from another planet.
For the record, I am a Blue Dog Democrat and both black and Boricua (Puerto Rican)
1:08 pm
jf1 and rez are right on about this. The budget for this project keeps one artist employed at a relative decent wage while serving a public good. The attacks leveled against the mural has nothing to do with the economics of it, but rather, a now minority group (HPS)marginalizing another minority group (a lot of the residents in Mt. Pleasant). I was at the meeting and the general consensus was in favor of the mural and the images depicted in it. The opposition came from three people (an ignorant ANC and two from HPS).
We need to move away from the racial undertones.
1:12 pm
Ward4, you're an angry bitter man. Everything you are accusing Salvadorians of doing, you yourself is also doing. Instead of being proud that another minority group is getting representation, you choose to bash them and on what grounds? Get over yourself you ass-clown.
1:18 pm
ResidentAlein fuck you and Salvaodorans. The only one is bitter is your fat wetback mammy from Central America.
1:22 pm
For the record Residentalien, most Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Afro Cubanos I know dislike Salvadorans/Mexicans.
This is the United States of America, not El Salvador. Black U.S. citizens have a over 400 years of ancestry in this country. I can't say this about these fucking racist Salvadorans. What have Salvadorans contributed to the USA history or to the Civil Rights era in the 50's 60's in the USA. If it were not for black U.S. citizens fighting for their rights as U.S. citizens, all these otheer fucking groups would be here are would be reaping the benefits. They would be back in their fucking 3rd world countries.
1:25 pm
Correction:
For the record Residentalien, most Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, and Afro Cubanos I know dislike Salvadorans/Mexicans.
This is the United States of America, not El Salvador. Black U.S. citizens have over 400 years of ancestry in this country. I can't say this about the racist Salvadorans. What have Salvadorans contributed to the USA history or to the Civil Rights era in the 50's and 60's in the USA? If it were not for black U.S. citizens fighting for their rights as citizens, all these other groups would not be here and would not be reaping the benefits others fought to have as citizens. They would be back in their fucking 3rd world countries. All illegal aliens should be deported along with their fucking anchor babies.
1:36 pm
LOL@WARD4DC; he or she make an excellent point about racist behavior by Central Americans towards black Spanish speaking Latinos. Racism is worse based of color and hair texture in Latin America.
1:59 pm
I am Dominican and I would be offended if they only represented El Salvador in the mural. I agree with others, let;s use an American background with U.S. History to satisfy all. We are living in the United States and we should see ourselves as one people (Americans/U.S. citizens).
3:05 pm
Ha ha. arguing over what country is represented?? I see lots - the aztec/mayan design would represent large chunks of central AND NORTH america, black dude and white dude on bikes look like good ole 'merican hipsters to me, and the bolivian folkloric dancers? That's in south america. I don't think it's be best mural, from an artistic viewpoint, but reacting to it by saying "this is the US not El Salvador!" is ridiculously stupid. And yes, julio, we are one people (humans!) and we are all living in the US, but that doesn't mean that your culture should be left behind at the border. If so, we'd all be named things like Running Bear and buffalo wouldn't have gone nearly extinct. Some day, we'll all view tacos and pupusas as "american" as we now view pizza or mac n cheese. You'll be a much happier person embracing it and not fighting the inevitable :)
3:11 pm
What I am talking about is BASIC HUMAN NEEDS and how money needs to be spent properly. If cocktail liberals like 'downtown rez' and 'ResidentAlien' had their way this city would be pretty like a movie set with nothing behind the scenery.
People in need come first not some ass hole with a masters in the arts who can't find real work on his or her own. Why should tax payers money pay for this CRAP!
If these so-called artist want work let them paint portraits at a carnival.
3:32 pm
I can't even respond to Ward4 because it would be a waste of my energy to argue with pure stupidity. Besides laughing did a good job of pointing out the stupidity of your arguments. But to add a point, unless you're white, regardless of when you came (400 years ago, blacks didn't come freely by the way), you are still a minority in this country. As much as you want to bash others because they are racist, you're no better in the eyes of the rest of White America.
Mangus, what are you smoking? You like in Washington DC, a City that is probably the most financially irresponsibly place in the Country- Remember Barry and the years we had to have our budget managed by Congress? What about the millions that Harriet Walters stole, the iffy contracts by our current Mayor, frat parties funding by him,a host of other things and you're biggest concern is for a $4,000 mural?
This is ridiculous. You idiots need to get real.
3:42 pm
Whatever, Rick.
Check out the artist's website, which is linked to in the original article. He's done some of the best and most recognizable/iconic murals in this city.
I have no problem paying for talent. I'd rather do that than pay (or give) money to someone who has no talent.
Your bleeding heart would be better served mentoring your "BASIC HUMAN NEEDS" folks, rather than blathering on here about how we should give them $$.
3:44 pm
I thing laughingatyou and Residentalien are one in the same. Nice try idiot by using a different scene name to get your point across.
4:09 pm
This is great. We have spics arguing with spics over who's a more racist spic. This is like a frucking comedy- George Lopez is the ony thing that comes to mind. No one MSG and the Latin Queens are always fighting with each other. I hate that fact that you can do it freely in my country instead of chopping each other in coffee fields, yah dumbbasses.
Rick is dead on, round up these bitches and send them all out of here. We don't need to wasting precious dollars on these fucks when we have more important things to do.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Bend-a-hoes.....
7:29 pm
AGAIN, everyone is missing the point! This is unnecessary and foolish spending. Yes I am a bleeding heart when it comes to the human condition and unlike you 'downtown rez' I do volunteer work because that how I was brought up. What have you done?
8:26 pm
Rick Mangus, Downtown Rez is a bleeding heart liberal who supports socialims, political correctness, illegal immigration, diversity, etc. We are doomed in this country because of breeding heart liberals. I am glad the Democrats are losing power and control in Congress. The Republican Party sucks too. I am changing from a Blue Dog Democrat to an Independent.
8:28 pm
Correction:
Rick Mangus, Downtown Rez is a bleeding heart liberal who supports socialism, political correctness, illegal immigration, diversity, etc. We are doomed in this country because of bleeding heart liberals like Downtown Rez. I am glad the Democrats are losing power and control in Congress. The Republican Party sucks too. I am changing from a registered Blue Dog Democrat to an Independent.
8:29 pm
I prefer living in a middle class segregated neighborhood with others who look like me and take pride in their community. Diversity sucks and it's not what liberals claim it to be.
8:51 pm
Huh, no wonder I like D Rez, & usually agree with him/her. Tribalism does not work in this day & age. We need to learn to live with each other or we're fucked.
I live in Georgetown & like living around people like me - somewhat affluent, white, etc. Most of us like to live around people like us. But I wish we'd put some public housing in Georgetown, one in the heart of the East Village & one in the heart of the West Village. It'd make life better for all of us.
10:17 pm
You're all an embarrassment.
10:41 am
Rick this is Native American country. You US Citizens are just occupying illegally my land. Go back to Europe jerk.
12:12 pm
'Former Stafffer' let me tell you something my mother was Shawnee, and I'm from Pennsylvania not Europe. My father had a saying, "It's better for you to remain quite and let people assume that you are stupid, then opening you mouth an removing all doubt."
1:17 pm
Rick- Listening to your father's sayings isn't quite the same thing as putting them into practice, now is it.
1:21 pm
Al-
My family runs the gamut from African, to Native American, to European. I've met my relatives on all three continents.
I love diversity, and never feel so completely within my element as when I am completely out of my element, if you know what I mean.
DC is becoming more like me every day. And I love it.
2:58 pm
This conversation has gotten away from the central point - that of the mural itself. What you need to understand is that the city puts aside a certain percentage of its budget for public art. If the mural is not painted here, in Mt. Pleasant, it will be painted somewhere else. Don't we deserve to reap the benefits of the public art program, even if we may not agree with it?
And for those who don't like the design, where were you during the community meetings? It is very well and good to criticize after the fact - it is always easier to tear something down then try to build it up. The artist has probably devoted hundreds of hours to this project so far. The least you could do is give a reasoned, thoughtful criticism of his work instead of letting this conversation devolve into hateful racial language. Without the anonymity of the internet, none of you would have the courage to say this to each other's faces.
So please, lets provide the artist with some reasoned feed back. Or at least refrain from hate-mongering around an issue that is supposed to bring the community together.
3:07 pm
Wow what an enlightening exchange here . . .
So sorry to intrude on your highly intellectual conversation here PROFESSOR Mangus. My measly masters degree in international development obviously pales in comparison to your numerous Ph.Ds in anthropology, linguistics and sociology. We all have SO MUCH to learn from you about how an ethnically diverse city should be run.
Perhaps you should run for mayor, along with Ward4?!?! You can start you your own political party - maybe call it "Screw the Hispanics!" I can see the winning campaign slogan's now: "Screw these spicks, the whites and blacks used to run this town!" or perhaps "Public art is for liberal idiots!" Can I be on your campaign?!?! It's sure to win!
And thanks you for your wonderful remark Ward4, proving that blacks can be just as racist as whites. Too bad the KKK will never let you in! That Dave Chappelle skit must have really called out to you . . .
Let me repeat my original suggestion: If the diversity of this city annoys you to no end, please do us all a favor (including your self) and move to a nice homogeneous neighborhood of black and white racists in which English is the only language your idiotic comments are made.
3:13 pm
By the way, Ward4 - Mt. Pleasant is in Ward 1. Why do you even care?
3:28 pm
Late to the game, dayam and I missed all the hub-bub. Right on Mt. Pleasant Girl and MarkDC. These comments are ridiculous and the overwhelming majority has nothing to do with actual mural. I think it looks great. It's an Aztec/Mayan style piece that incorporates what Mt. Pleasant has become, a multi-culutral haven. The artist Mr. Peck created the H-Street bridge mural. He did a wonderful job there and the process involved was very similar. Community input dictated his design. The same way it was done here. The only people upset with the actual design are a white ANC and the Historic Preservation Group, who wanted the mural to be more "bland" and less colorful. They were hoping to have something like the Frederick Douglas pic on Mass. Avenue and 14th Street. That's absolutely ridiculous. Mt. Pleasant isn't a place that is representative of one race or one creed.
This mural is beautiful.
4:25 pm
By the way 'MarkDC' I do have a Ph.D and for
'downtown rez' you're comments prove my fathers' point.
It would seem that every time someone disagrees with you self righeous liberals you don't argue the point instead you throw mud, grow up and act like an adult.
4:45 pm
Rick-
I'm sorry your life sucks.
Have a nice day!
5:55 pm
Wow Rick you really do live in your own little planet . . talk about throwing mud, you were the one starting out slinging your crap around with this one: The same people who support crap like this are the guilt driven liberals who move into areas of this city to enhance their narrow minded and sheltered view of life and to fan their egos and then try to feed you the line, 'Diversity'.
After that you followed up with a pathetic, profanity laced tirade that seems like a 13rd year old wrote it. Ph. D my ass . . . Sorry Rick, but your cry of 'liberal mudslinging' seems complete hypocritical to me and many others here in this little chat trying to defend diversity in the nation's capital. In the year 2010, i can't even believe I'm having this conversation, but I guess intolerance will persist among the discontent no matter what kind of bridges are built between cultures.
Is the mural a waste of money? Perhaps. Could it be spent somewhere else? Perhaps. But city arts employs local teens to do a lot of their work so if MY TAX MONEY is going to that, instead of like something for the stupid baseball stadium, I'm fine with it. I can think of a lot worse to spend money on in this city besides trying to make it look better!
11:50 am
I attended the ANC meeting last night regarding this very Mural. What a bunch of crooks those commissioners are. The residents there in support of the mural were the overwhelming majority with an additional 300 signatures of residents of the neighborhood attached to a petition that was given to each ANC. 4 ANC voted against the mural and gave very differing and questionable reasons why they did not support it:
Jack Mckay indicated that he was a long-time supporter of the mural but changed his mind suddenly after he realized that there was opposition to the mural. When asked to quantify this opposition, Mr. Mckay could not.
Phil Lepanto is simply a jerk. He actually looked like he was hung-over or something (7:45 pm). He begins to talk about why he’s opposing it and then suddenly “loses his train of thought” and can’t finish. It was pretty pathetic to see.
Greg Edwards, well where to begin. Dressed in a snappy pinstripe suit, I swear I thought the guy was there for a job interview or something. He begins by claiming that he was an “Arts History Major” in college and that he understands and appreciates fine art. He goes on to outline a grand plan on panels attached to the side of this barren brick wall that could be used as a buffer for the paint against the wall. He finally proved to me what a real idiot he truly is. And my God, the ego on this guy, seems to grow each time I meet him (it’s almost as big as he is).
Angelina Scott just was asleep. She was so zoned out that she actually voted in favor of the mural, only to then recant by asking “where’s my mind tonight”. All of the emails and phone calls I’ve made to her prior to this was never responded to or returned. If she does not care to be there, to do her job, then she should simply resign and let someone more willing and capable take over.
Dave Glosserman was amazing, simply amazing. He asked his fellow ANCs what they were thinking and what they were looking at. He even gave a figure- 80% of the residents he’s spoken to about this support the mural. The remaining 20% simply offered contradictory reasoning as to why the mural cannot work. It was a pleasure seeing Dave engage Greg and call him out for the obvious stupidity and egotistical manner in which Greg handled himself.
The majority of the crowd was great and very supportive of the mural. One gentleman who introduced himself as Juan Carlos Ruiz from a Latino organization was pissed that the mural did not have his final approval. He said that he represented the Latino voice in the neighborhood and that he should have been instrumental in the design of the mural. The problem with this is that the muralist, Mr. Peck, had almost 10 separate community meetings during the past year to get input from residents. Mr. Ruiz never attended any of them and at this final vote, he was there making a scene because he now wants to be heard.
A Latino woman was angry at the fact one of the globes included a picture of two El Salvadorian men sitting at a bench. She thought that it would be viewed as El Salvadorians are lazy. Two things about this. First- the two gentlemen are business owners sitting in front of their restaurant. Second- Mr. Peck had heard her concern and decided to remove the globe from his final version of the mural. He had actually removed it months before, but this woman had never bothered to even look at the mural again.
Put aside all of the racist remarks we’ve read here and you will see that the concerns really aren’t who is or is not represented in this mural, but rather what this mural represents. Mt. Pleasant is a diverse neighborhood that embraces its diversity with pride. The process last night only proved to me last night that the egos of a few can sometimes derail the will of many.
I have never been more ashamed of being a Mt. Pleasant resident than I was last night.
3:30 am
The same mural design is on RI ave in Hyattsville. Byron has many other murals in DC and they are all alike. We have enough of his art on our walls. We need to encourage and support other artists in DC. But murals do not belong everywhere. The Dc govt. never knows when it's overdoing things.. Can't stop changing everything like a neurotic mental patient. We need to dump this city council and get control over our taxes.If we have taxation without representation, why are we paying taxes. We need a city govt. that witholds our federal income taxes , gets us equal representation, stops the deady supreme court gun decision and protects us in our homes and on the streets gun-free. This city govt. is so jaded, hands out so much money to developers and corpotrations, let them get their heads out of their asses, so we kick them all out of office. Run for council friends get this whole clique out asap. Stop insane overdevelopment save McMillan and the Green at the Brookland Metro, clean our streets, make the city and it's transport system safe, quiet, stop all the insane sirens. Defeat the city govt. before it kills all of us!