11/04/2024
Well, this is not really about me, lol well yes it is, of course, I feel away. I painted the first mural up Oistins maybe two years back, it wasn't there for long, it was sponsored by a company and there was no mural there before as far I can remember.
I was paid and I guess the company by sponsoring the area could decide if they wanted a new mural. It's not about me not painting the new mural because I won't take a job to paint over my work.
The work had my name on it, I feel it would have been the right thing to do, to contact me, the artist, and let me know they were going to paint over my mural not that I could have, or would have objected as they are no grounds to.
On a bigger note what I am concerned about and one I spoke on before is how they painted out that Mural on Springer School with no regard to its history or the artist or story of the mural, to be replaced by a billboard.
Look at the mural that was on the Egale Hall post office just painted out with no regard.
The murals of Izebo, work that has been standing for years, outlasting many new murals and is being painted out left right, and center.
Yes, I would say it, they have no reason to move the Nelson Staute as they did.
There must be some national policy with legal backing that governs public art including murals, and who has the right to remove, change, or alter work and how it's done.
It will call for discussions and definitions, because maybe what I did at Oistins won't fall under any protection, but still, some protocol should be followed. Maybe after a set amount of time, a mural is up, and then it opens a whole new discussion one where the artist is involved.
Now this second mural I did at Pirates Cove, has been there for a while, but without a national policy on murals and public art, it's at the mercy of the new owners on whatever they decide to do with it. It's not just the mural but the wall the mural with painted on, it has a story and it bears the marks of it.
I tried my best to find out who would decide on the mural without avail. The thing is my name is on this mural also, and with a serious national mural and public art policy, I won't have to do the contacting, the person wishing to do anything with my public, regardless of if it was a work of hire, would have to contact the relevant governing body, before any proceeding and in discussion with the artist.
So yes, I believe it's time the artists get together and start the discussion, I have lots of artwork all over Barbados, and after a while, it should not even be up to me to decide on what should happen to what has become public art.
