Friday, January 13, 2012

Marriage mural on East Second Street rankles neighborhood activist


The Lo-Down reported on a controversy surrounding the newest mural by Tats Cru on Second Street at Avenue A. Turns out a longtime neighborhood activist is demanding that the property owners remove the mural that she finds "racially offensive." She contacted CB3 and other local organizations for help. CB3 District Manager Susan Stetzer forwarded the complaint to the New York City Commission on Human Rights, the Lo-Down noted.

Turns out that this is a marriage proposal mural (like the one that was in this space before...). The groom-to-be (Marisha said yes!) wrote in to the Lo-Down with an explanation. "[I]t is a shame that something bred of love is getting sprinkled with negativity because one individual misconstrued it – a piece of art, no less. Regardless, I just want to make it clear that I was the sole creative director of this mural and Tats Cru only executed my design as requested."

[Photo of the happy couple via the Lo-Down]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Going to the mural and we're gonna get married

A marriage proposal by mural on Second Street (and she said yes)

11 comments:

Hey19 said...

This reeks of the Hot Chicks Room fiasco. I like Tats Cru, their stuff is out there though. The murals on this wall are particularly weird.

Like a family friend said to me over the holidays, some people are determined to be offended.

Anonymous said...

They're a cute couple. Congrats!

James Taylor said...

Do we really live in a world where any depiction of a non-white person turns into a story about race? How absurd. It's this knee-jerk paranoia over appearing racist that actually perpetuates the attitudes we'd like to eliminate from society.

PS: My word verification was "racict".

Big Gay Ice Cream Man said...

Is that a sea lion with laser-emitting nostrils? If so, THE MURAL MUST STAY!

LvV said...

Rather than racist, isn't it more offensive to animals, since one (a chow-chow?) is about to be speared for some reason, or women, since she's chained to the cliff? Maybe the chaining was a safety precaution? It doesn't seem like a very secure one. I really only find this mural offensive to sense-making. But agreed with Anon 9:13, cute couple.

Anonymous said...

Um, are you people not seeing that she is CHAINED to the ground, while giving the heroic white man googly eyes? CHAINED to the ground. I never say anything is racist, but that's a little fucked up looking.

Riki said...

@Anon 12:50 - I think he's trying to rescue her from the Chow Chow with the laser beams shooting out its eyes? This is mural is so bizarre. Congrats to the happy couple!

abrod said...

If you look closely, the woman is chained to the cliff as a safety measure, that will restrain her should she fall off. This is clearly meant to evoke our safety- and liability-obsessed society.
Also, chow chows with laser eyes are a menace to society so I feel no compassion for this terrible terrible creature.

David @ 3rd St said...

He's chained her up (slavery) and the brave laser chow-chow (Animal testing) is trying to save her. The Greek aggressor with his trident (cultural stereo typing) with his (unregistered) pet cat is about to spear the chow-chow (animal cruelty).

How can you not be offended!

Anonymous said...

It depicts Perseus rescuing Andromeda, she's chained to the cliff to be food for the dragon, evidently the chow-chow. Classic mythical scene.

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