FOUNTAIN VALLEY
Sergio O’Cadiz said he may file a lawsuit against the city to preserve the La Colonia Juarez mural he painted in 1976, even though a recent survey shows nearby residents would rather have the wall painted white. The 63-year-old Santa Ana artist has found protection for his work in the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990, which stipulates that any alteration is illegal without his permission, he said.
City officials aren’t so sure. “We are analyzing the law, and we recognize that it may apply to murals,” said City Atty. Alan Burns. “In the end, the city does have the authority as the owner of the wall to do what it determines is best.”
The city wants to work with the artist and the residents, said Housing Coordinator Chris Corbin. The city will hold a community meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at Colony Park to introduce O’Cadiz to residents and reconsider the fate of the mural, Corbin said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
