LA MoCA Destroys Artwork?

A Clancco reader just sent me an e-mail asking why we hadn’t covered last week’s controversial move by LA MoCA to “remove” a mural painted by street artist, BLU.

Well, we hadn’t heard about it. Post-Miami has been crazy, but no excuse, which leads me to wonder why no major news source has picked it up (if you know of one, please let me know).

So what’s the story? According to LA Downtown News,

The paint was hardly dry on the mural, which covered the entire north-facing wall of MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary with depictions of wooden caskets draped in dollar bills, when the museum literally whitewashed the piece.

Why the change of mind? It doesn’t seem like anyone actually complained. Did LA MoCA have second thoughts? Or is this a publicity stunt?

Regardless, I’d like to see what the written agreement between LA MoCA and the participating artists looks like. In particular, I’d look to see if the artists waived their state and federal moral rights. As LA Downtown News reminds us,

The move may remind Downtowners of the 2006 whitewashing of Kent Twitchell’s “Ed Ruscha Monument.” The destruction of the massive work on the side of a building at 1051 S. Hill St. prompted nearly two years of legal battles that culminated when the artist was awarded $1.1 million.

If any participating artist has the agreement, please forward it to me at sergio_sarmiento@clancco.com. A slide-show of the whitewashing can be viewed here.

Tags: california, jeffrey deitch, los angeles, Moral Rights, muralism, public art, street art