In 2003, pro-HD folks insisted the Historic Commission would NEVER regulate paint, despite contradictory words in the HC ordinance.
I investigated, discovered and revealed an action against a privately commissioned mural placed on a side / alley wall of a property on 410 S. 15th (S. of Pine) in the Ritt-Fit HD. At a 2003 hearing the mural was granted a 4 year reprieve, under something the HC defined as a "Sunset Provision". At the time, I feared the decision was merely an attempt to put things on a back burner, to lower the heat on other proposed HD fronts. And my fear has been realized. Friday, January 12, the HC met and ordered the mural painted over, with brick red paint, so that the wall would appear more historic. The HC also locks the property owner into a position that limits improvements, because doing so would trigger additional HD interference. The owner of the property plans to appeal. A story (with color photos) is in the latest PGN, link via: http://www.epgn.com/011907/1transmural011907.htm The property owner, "Michael Shur" is actually "Michael Sher" a longtime friend. I am proud that he is able and willing to commission art and to defend art and artists. The mural has found strong supporters among artists and the GLBTG community. A blog has been started at: http://members.aol.com/tgirlhollywood26/mural/ I don't know who posted, but he (or she) appears to be a fan of the mural and angry. One of the blogs better features is a side by side comparison, of the existing wall vs. what it would look like with a fresh coat of red paint. It also contains an image that draws the probable outcome (and historic reality for this wall) which is that a blank slate tempts graffiti. The current ruling comes at an ironic time. The Royals plan a Jan. 27 visit to Philadelphia. http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=4931951 ... Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, intend to focus on themes of youth development, urban regeneration and environmental conservation, ... Besides visiting some of the city's historic sites, including the Liberty Bell, the two will learn about the city's Mural Arts Program, the country's largest public art program ... There are fascinating back stories to the mural. The mural started with a much lighter and lovelier theme of "Venus and Beauty". The located close to Broad and South Streets invited themes of Philadelphia traditions, (Mummer's Parades, Night Clubs and Theater). The mural segued to "Death of Venus" after the first threats from the HC were delivered. The Artist felt under attack and despaired for the Mural's survival. She struck back in paint moving toward themes of restraint and destruction. She found herself unable to complete the Mural and it remains much less nuanced than it should be. Even unfinished, and reflecting less attractive themes, the mural developed fans. Artist Dee Chin seems too fragile to explain or defend her work. Her most vivid early memories include helping an uncle pass as a woman, to avoid the death meted out to men by the Khmer Rouge. When the disguise failed or the deception was revealed, the uncle was brutally beheaded, at home, in front of the young child. Dee arrived in the USA as a Cambodian refugee boy in time to be accepted into the HS for the Performing Arts. Dee learned English quickly and won awards for singing, acting, dancing and art. While still in high school she was chosen to paint a mural at CHOP. Dee has triumphed in struggles against prejudices against her poverty, status, accent, ethnicity and transgender choice. Dee feels the threat against her art as a very personal attack. She views the mural is her "child" and the HC as a stalker / murderer. She is almost paralyzed by the arbitrary, bureaucratic and very public attack on her painting. Property owner Sher defines himself as "a Jew". He has visited Israel. His mother made a 2006 visit to Auschwitz to honor the memory of lost relatives. He views the HC decision as a censorship of the kind practiced by racists, totalitarian regimes, book burners, colonizers and culture destroyers. He is shocked that HC chair Michael Sklaroff, seemed to bully the HC into the decision to destroy the art. He wonders how people who have survived cultures of oppression can ignore the lessons of history. The mural is located on a side wall. It is on a section of Waverly street that is little more than a cartway. It faces the dumpsters of a dorm type hi-rise and its neighbors are ad hoc parking spaces carved out of the back yards of houses on Pine and 15th Streets. I used to park in one of the nearby spaces and remember the wall as damaged stucco, covered with graffiti and used as a urinal by drunks leaving local clubs. I tried to move my car before dark to avoid open air drug sales and other problems that were drawn into the dark alley. Even though I prefer the original version of the mural, I can see that the mural has fans, and draws eyes and tourists into the alley, helping keep all the neighbors safer. Graffiti artists seem to respect the art, and so drug instructions and G-tags have been reduced along the length of the street, not just the mural wall. The artist is lucky that she has found a patron who is able and willing to hire an attorney to defend her work. I hope that her suffering finds some compensation by way of publicity that might even help her work increase in value. Michael Sklaroff and the five HC commissioners who voted against the mural, including at least one who works at PENN, should be ashamed of their actions. I hope that the word of their perfidy is widespread and causes them the kind of embarrassment that makes them better weight their choices. UC's own Scott Wild's was a voice and vote of reason, but was overwhelmed by the whims of the aesthetically fussy. I am grateful to Scott, even though his defense was futile, and hope he understands that I will be against the HD in UC. The UC Historical Society and erstwhile leaders of the Spruce Hill community association seem determined to impose an HD upon their neighbors, and I hope this story of the mural acts as a warning. The presence of a controlling HD resulted in changes to the mural, even before it was completed, and has led to the current order for its destruction. And I want everyone to witness the big lie that an HD won't impose limits on paint. Shouldn't we be encouraging those who have financial ability to make private support of the arts? Shouldn't we encourage individuals to make independent improvements instead of limiting all art to "Programs" sponsored by bureaucracy? I love the Mural Arts Program and am proud to live in a city with so much public art, but I know how consensus-centric MA must be. http://www.muralarts.org/ I think we have room for and should encourage the creation of (even if just by purchase) greater varieties of art. I hope others find ways to speak up for art and for private property rights. All the best! Liz P. S. I have attached excerpts from my post of Fri, 31 Jan 2003, below: ... lets start with the TRUTH about regulating color. Regulating color is specifically required in the 12 pages of the ORDINANCE (#14-2007. Historic Buildings...) Here is the link. http://www.mfrconsultants.com/hc/pdf/ordinance/ordinance.pdf "UNLESS A PERMIT IS FIRST OBTAINED FROM THE DEPARTMENT, NO PERSON SHALL ALTER ... ANY BUILDING ... OR OBJECT WITHIN AN HISTORIC DISTRICT." (a) Alter or Alteration: "A CHANGE IN THE APPEARANCE..." (h) Design: "EXTERIOR FEATURES INCLUDING MASS, HEIGHT, APPEARANCE AND THE TEXTURE, ****COLOR****, NATURE AND COMPOSITION OF MATERIALS." (the *** are mine) **************************************************** ... A local Historic District is a set of boundaries. And by ORDINANCE every building, site and even object within the boundaries becomes subject to the rules, delays, added expense and bureaucratic tangles of Ordinance 14-2007. Sure, not every T will be crossed, and some owners (Karp, PENN, <Spilove> etc.) will win exemption, but ALL will have to run the gamut of the permitting process. ... rational folks will want to avoid that headache. ... The HC is set up so that neighbors selectively "rat out" those folks who do work without a permit. This could mean that the rich can defend and the popular will get a pass, but the poor, unpopular or obvious will get hammered. ... check out http://www.phila.gov/phils/Docs/Inventor/graphics/agencies/A082-100.htm Just imagine the pork in the barrel at PHC which has the power to designate buildings or districts, make recommendations concerning the use of grants & appropriations make recommendations regarding the purchase of any building review alteration, demolition, building and environmental clearances and provide concession agreement oversight (as for Eastern Penitentiary). ... The facts are with the anti HD neighbors. Best! Liz ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
