Gentrifiers Literally whitewashing black art

[AJL]

This is happening in my city. Motherfuckers!  

From the FB page - Defend Our Hoodz - Defiende El Barrio - Austin

Gentrifiers can't even stand seeing murals with black people in them!
The full transformation of 12th and Chicon from what was formerly the heart of Austin's Black Community to another gentrified, hipster corner is nearly complete.


Gentrifiers have literally been whitewashing murals this past week, starting with removing the image of a Black woman put up by Mamas of Color Rising and then today, as someone is seen painting over images of Black musicians like Michael Jackson and Tupac.


This is in conjunction with a recent revelation that speculators from North Texas, effectively own most of East 12th Street: www.austinmonitor.com/…/whats-future-austins-east-…/


Local venues and coffee shops have also been flocking to the corner more aggressively, backed by connections to the music industry and real estate investors.


The ruling-class of Austin has already pushed so many black people out of Austin, but they're not satisfied until they erase any trace of them. This is about erasing history and black people, to redefine communities so gentrifiers and developers can profit. They have no shame.

#fuckWhiteArt

[AJL]

This is the mural that has been destroyed.

[turnipthebeet]

Goddamnit.

[pixy0stix]

This is disgusting. I suppose the buildings were bought by gentrifiers, so there's nothing that can be done?

[AJL]

May 12, 2017 22:48:13 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

This is disgusting. I suppose the buildings were bought by gentrifiers, so there's nothing that can be done?

Correct, as far as I know. There is a growing movement to petition our mayor and city council to somehow get those artworks protected.  They're in the historically black neighborhoods of Austin and considering at last census, black Austinites made up less than 7% of our total population (and it's getting smaller), we're allowing gentrification and white interlopers erase our black citizens. 

[atexan]

What kind of shit pig asshole paints over those gorgeous murals?

Do better, Austin.

[meganew]

That's gross. How did no one in the planning stages of this go, "Hey guys, maybe this isn't such a good idea?"

I mean, I know how, but damn.

[mrsukyankee]

That mural was gorgeous and should have been preserved.

[tessalb]

God, we suck. Those murals are gorgeous and so important to the history and culture of the city. Why do white people still need to erase black anything? (I know the answer - it's infuriating)

[spitforspat]

May 13, 2017 0:16:43 GMT -5 @kirkette said:

So, Austin suffers from "I'm not a racist" racism too?
But it's so Liberal (for Texas)?
Shocker!

Austin is possibly one of the worst offenders in this regard.

[andwhat]

May 13, 2017 5:25:29 GMT -5 spitforspat said:

May 13, 2017 0:16:43 GMT -5 @kirkette said:

So, Austin suffers from "I'm not a racist" racism too?
But it's so Liberal (for Texas)?
Shocker!

Austin is possibly one of the worst offenders in this regard.

Every city that thinks that because they are "liberal" they don't have racism is the worst. There doesn't need to be a pissing contest.

[Miss Phryne Fisher]

Question: Let's say it was horribly cracking, and really looked awful and faded, etc (like the formerly amazing art on the side of a building in my town). Besides the obvious (having a new, similar style mural put up...preferably by the same artist) can something like that be touched up/repaired?


(Not that that in any way looks like it wasn't in great shape. Just thinking about dumb excuses they could come up for to explain this crap.)

[1yeartogo]

I literally know nothing about building codes or preservation but if certain buildings have to have approved paint colors, etc. I don't understand why this can't be applied to public art installations/murals whereby something of historical and/or cultural significance has to be preserved or approved before it can be changed.

This is super gross, I can't imagine why the new owners think this would be acceptable. My family lives near philly and I always point out all the murals and building art, it's part of what makes the city beautiful and vibrant and I let my children know the pictures tell stories.

[mbcdefg]

Ugh.

And everything else aside, the originals looked so much better anyway.

[barcelonagirl]

I came in thinking this was another Ruby Bridges bastardization but this is so much worse.

I hope the photographs last...

[Velar Fricative]

Fucking shameful.

[karinothing]

This is horrible. I think DC has done a good job of preserving black art murals even in gentrified areas. So no excuse other than racisim.

[foundmylazybum]

How horrible. I love art like that. This is a true loss.

[StrawberryBlondie]

This is disgusting.

[redheadbaker]

What?? That’s horrible!

[bluestreet]

I am really upset by this too; it's down the street from us. There was an interesting conversation about it on the Austin BLM FB page, which has been deleted. The argument was that the mural had actually been commissioned by the white gentrifiers that owned the building in what was essentially a pandering move, and the new owner is a local Latina and has plans for a new mural. On the other hand, regardless of the intent of the white owners, the mural depicted primarily African American musicians (like Tupac) at the very crux of Austin's historically black neighborhood.

The African American community is being driven out by sky rocketing property taxes to the suburbs, and the bitter irony is that East Austin became a vibrant African American area because African Americans were relocated from prime West Austin real estate in the 1920s.

This is a great overview of the history of residential patterns in Austin and how African Americans and Latinos have been segregated. Even if you don't live in Austin, it's representative of the country's cities. And just like I-10 devastated New Orleans' African American middle class, I-35 did so in Austin.

projects.statesman.com/news/economic-mobility/

[bluestreet]

@ajl I've been really irked lately by all the hipster taquerias/Mexican cuisine restaurants that are opening up around the city owned by whites/anglos. I've looked for a list of Latino-owned restaurants in Austin, to no avail. I'm going to get in touch with the Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and make a list to distribute on FB. I don't want to hurt the non-Latino owners of, e.g., Tyson's Tacos or Fresa's, but still.

[Deleted]

Lansing, MI is the home to Oldsmobile (now GM). Its plants employed mostly local black people, but a mural painted recently in the REO Town neighborhood of Lansing depicts only happy, white old men, hanging out and smiling in front of the factory. It's created a lot of outrage over the whitewashing of history here.

wkar.org/post/giant-mural-capture-lansing-s-early-reo-heritage#stream/0

[WOT?*]

Welp, another "I have nothing to say" because there aren't words to express the emotions roiling. I'm angry and disgusted so I can't begin to imagine the feelings of the POC here or in Austin. I hope that this doesn't continue but it will because people are racist pigs, even through the most heated of the denials.
That mural was stunning. I can't believe people are just "meh, doesn't fit in with the current decor." (Yes, I can actually.)

[AJL]

May 13, 2017 0:16:43 GMT -5 @kirkette said:

So, Austin suffers from "I'm not a racist" racism too?
But it's so Liberal (for Texas)?
Shocker!

Of course it does. Austin is a fucking whiter than white town. Anyone who says differently doesn't live here.

[AJL]

Statement from the artist whose mural was destroyed by gentrifiers yesterday at 12th & Chicon:
"I'm almost speechless 😐. The misinformation and lack of civic concern is offensive, to say the least. I am a local artist, I am of African descent, and the wall that was painted over was the first mural that I did when I moved to Austin. I was pretty much broke. I could barely pay my rent, and I did that entire wall for free. It took me a few weeks, but I did it by myself with nothing but a rickety, old extension ladder and whatever paint I could find. Having been still new to the area, my initial motive was to just make a mark and get my name out into the community a bit, but as the days and weeks unfolded, my purpose began to broaden and gain enterprise. Neighborhood locals started to stop by on a regular basis to, not only to say hi and compliment my progress, but, in numerous cases, actually thank me for bringing "beauty" into their area. My art literally helped give a community something to be proud of. #chrisrogersart"

[rondonalddo]

I would be surprised that the people painting over and replacing these murals either were being intentionally malicious or were unaware of the message this sends, but I'm not. Also, that replacement mural looks like shit.

[thejackpot]

Just awful. Operation remove all the color and life continues. Vanilla is supreme.
I hate people.

[noeliav]

I was piiiiiissed when I saw this reported today.

AJL- do you remember how outraged and distraught people were each time the "Hi" and the "i love you" ones where defaced (not even comparable in skill, imo) and this one was foffing painted over entirely?!?

And the new owner is all "baffled" (if I'm remembering a quote) at the response? GTFO. Just go, you horrible excuse for a person.

[AJL]

May 13, 2017 17:23:17 GMT -5 @246baje said:

May 13, 2017 0:16:43 GMT -5 @kirkette said:

So, Austin suffers from "I'm not a racist" racism too?
But it's so Liberal (for Texas)?
Shocker!

Yes. Everyone always acts shocked when I say I lived in Austin for 5 years and vastly prefer Houston.

Austin is liberal if you're white but as a black woman I found the entire experience isolating and strange.

I love Houston with all its quirks. I see black people all over and even in the Woodlands I'm seeing more and more black folks. I spent most of my time around UT and in north Austin due to school and work and if I saw more than 5 black people in a row I'd start counting them and wondering what event was going on.

My entire time in Austin I noticed how even the supermarket offerings were strongly segregated. You'd have to go to south Austin to purchase anything remotely ethnic. My entire time in Houston and it's suburbs, I've been able to find familiar foods in the regular grocery stores.

This is still the case and it's because our neighborhoods are so segregated.  I live in far south Austin but east of a major dividing highway. My grocery (the major chain in the area if H.E.B.) carries a ton of Mexican and other Latin American food favorites, including non-food cosmetic and drug items that are popular among Mexicans (stuff I remember my grandma buying and using on us when we were kids.)  

Go west of this dividing highway and they have a HUGE bulk/natural foods section (my particular H.E.B. does not). They sell more varieties of organic produce (not at my H.E.B., not that I care. I don't routinely buy those products.) They have a bigger floral department with higher quality cut flowers (my H.E.B. has a tiny floral department with crap cut flowers). They also have two onsite sushi chefs making fresh sushi everyday.  I can readily find challah and Shabbat candles at this H.E.B, but not at the one closest to me where I shop the most often (though I can find novena candles and saint candles there.)