State to Fund Mural Face Lifts

Responding to an increase in graffiti vandalism on freeway murals, Gov. Gray Davis has set aside $1.7 million to restore some of the myriad artworks that have given Los Angeles the title of “mural capital of the world.”

But the money may come with some tough conditions on all future freeway artwork that could affect the placement of murals and even the kind of paint artists use.

The state Department of Transportation also has suggested that it may remove some of the artwork most badly damaged in a recent wave of graffiti vandalism.

It is still unclear whether the money, part of the governor’s proposed 2002-03 budget, will pay the original mural artists or professional restoration firms to make the repairs.

“We recognize that the murals are part of the community and a source of pride,” Caltrans spokesman Dennis Trujillo said.

The reaction to the funding has been mixed. One muralist called the $1.7 million “a drop in the bucket” compared with the money Caltrans spends annually to paint over graffiti throughout the state.

The restoration money won’t be spent until a professional art restoration firm evaluates the condition of the 47 murals along Los Angeles County freeways. That study is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.

But Caltrans officials already have said that some freeway murals may be too expensive to restore. Caltrans will meet with the artists responsible for those works--which are yet to be identified--to discuss plans to remove or reproduce the murals in other locations.

Meanwhile, Caltrans has imposed a moratorium on new murals while agency officials draft guidelines for future works, said Michael Miles, Caltrans’ deputy director for maintenance in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Miles said one such restriction could require mural artists to pay for a performance bond, ensuring the artwork is maintained for an undetermined number of years.

Although the money was welcomed by mural preservationists, some worried about the proposed restrictions.

“It’s important that resources are available to preserve these public artworks, but the devil is in the details,” said Paul Hernandez, board president of the Social and Public Art Resource Center in Venice, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving murals and other public art.

Hernandez said he worries that the restrictions might impose too much of a financial burden on mural artists and discourage future artworks.

Agency Draws Praise for Restoration Effort

Others applauded Davis’ efforts.

“I think the good news is that the agency is recognizing that the murals are artwork and are not just a graffiti abatement effort,” said Felicia Filer, director of public art for Los Angeles.

Los Angeles has earned the reputation of mural capital of the world for the about 2,500 murals painted on public and private property throughout the county. Only 47 of those are along freeways.

Many murals have recently come under attack by graffiti vandals. In the past, the tagger culture had encouraged respect for artists and heaped disdain on anyone who spray-painted over murals. But in the last two years, a new generation of brash, young taggers has started to violate that “taggers code,” as evidenced by the proliferation of graffiti on freeway murals.

Caltrans initially responded by painting over vandalized murals with drab gray paint. But after loud complaints from artists and others, the state agency adopted a policy in May of notifying artists by certified mail when a mural has been vandalized. The agency also agreed to lift a 45-day deadline for artists to clean the graffiti before maintenance crews paint over the murals.

Still, Miles said the problem with vandalized murals has not improved. He said many artists are not responding to the certified letters and taggers continue to ravage the region’s freeway artwork.

In response, he said Caltrans is considering adopting the following restrictions on new murals:

* All new murals would be set at least eight feet above the roadway, to deter vandalism.

* New murals would be allowed only on walls that are sandblasted, to better hold the paint.

* Mural artists would be required to use only Caltrans approved paint, to ensure artworks do not fade or peel off.

* Mural artists would be required to post a bond or sign an agreement to maintain their murals, possibly for 10 years or more.

“We have come a long way since these murals were put up during the 1984 Olympics, when people just slapped paint on a wall,”Miles said.

Frank Ramiro, a renowned local mural artist, said the money provided by Caltrans is not nearly enough to address the growing problem. But he also points much of the blame on the taggers who have repeatedly vandalized his car culture mural on the Hollywood Freeway near the Alameda Street exit in downtown Los Angeles.

Ramiro said he has spent nearly $30,000 painting over the graffiti on the mural more than three times: “Back when I put the mural up more than 20 years ago, there was respect. Now, taggers have killed the mural movement in Los Angeles.”