Sunday, June 18, 2017

[Updated] David Choe's work has been painted over on the Bowery Mural Wall



Updated with a statement from Jessica Goldman Srebnick, CEO/founder of Goldman Global Arts, landlord of the mural wall.

That's it for David Choe's mural on East Houston and the Bowery. The mural was painted over in the last 24 hours.

It's not immediately known who was responsible for the white out. The mural had been defaced multiple times since it was completed early on June 5. (The work was scheduled to be on view through October.)

Choe's work on the high-profile wall caused a stir, bringing back the story from 2014 in which he bragged about a sexual assault before later saying that he made the whole thing up. However, that wasn't an isolated incident. As Caroline Caldwell detailed at Hyperallergic, "The artist has an impressive history of making public statements that attempt to normalize or make a joke out of rape." An anti-rape protest and performance art piece titled "NO MEANS NO" is scheduled here today at 5 p.m. (Updated: Find a video clip here.)

Meanwhile, Choe issued an apology on his Instagram account yesterday ... complete with a blank image...

How does one apologize for a lifetime of doing wrong? Through my past three years of recovery and rehabilitation, I’ve attempted to answer that question through action and understanding. In my life I’ve struggled deeply with an unnatural amount of hatred I’ve had towards myself. Most of my life I’ve been a scared hurt shame filled person, trying to mask my insecurities with false confidence and an outwardly negative behavior to validate myself as worthy. In a 2014 episode of DVDASA, I relayed a story simply for shock value that made it seem as if I had sexually violated a woman. Though I said those words, I did not commit those actions. It did not happen. I have ZERO history of sexual assault. I am deeply sorry for any hurt I’ve brought to anyone through my past words. Non-consensual sex is rape and it is never funny or appropriate to joke about. I was a sick person at the height of my mental illness ,and have spent the last 3 years in mental health facilities healing myself and dedicating my life to helping and healing others through love and action. I do not believe in the things I have said although I take full ownership of saying them. Additionally, I do not condemn anyone or have any ill will towards those who spread hate and speak out negatively against me, no one will ever hate me more than I hated myself back then. Today I’ve learned to love and forgive others just as much as myself. It’s been a rough journey but i am grateful to be alive and to dedicate myself to shining the light I have found within myself and live in service and gratitude. I am truly sorry for the negative words and dark messages I had put out into the world.

A post shared by DAVID CHOE (@davidchoe) on


Updated 12:30 p.m.

The wall white out happened after midnight...


Updated

Jessica Goldman Srebnick, CEO/founder of Goldman Global Arts, landlord of the mural wall, posted a lengthy response about the Choe mural on her Instagram account...

When Keith Haring’s mural appeared on the Bowery wall 35 years ago, that wall achieved legendary status. Through the years, we have privately funded the wall to make it a platform for world class art. Our sole motivation is to share beautiful artwork with the city of New York. Our selection of artists has always been based on talent, diversity of styles, and aesthetics. We have featured local and international artists, prominent and emerging ones, men and women. Our selection has never been an endorsement of the artist’s personal life or past behavior, nor do we believe we are in a position to judge a person’s character or morality. We have heard the voices of those of you who have protested our selection of David Choe for the Bowery wall because of his past statements about women. We admire your courage in speaking out against the glorification of rape culture. It is never acceptable to objectify women or to joke about rape. Mr. Choe has now spoken for himself and publicly apologized for his past behavior and the dark words he put into the world. We commend him for publicly acknowledging what he privately shared with us before we selected him. We believe his sincerity. In a broader sense, your voices have prompted us to question whether we should evaluate the character of the artists with whom we work, and automatically disqualify from consideration those who have behaved inappropriately. This debate is universal and not unique to the art world. We honestly don’t know the right answer. Where do we draw the line? None of us is without flaw, and what often differentiates artists and inspires them to greatness is their personal struggles with darkness, and their willingness to confront their insecurities and commit to heal and help others. We are proud of the impact we have made in the street art world. We are always hopeful that our choices have positive ripple effects, not negative ones. Perhaps this experience will stimulate the conversation about everyone’s responsibility to contribute to tolerance and understanding. We remain committed to providing a canvas for millions of people to be inspired by the creativity of artists from all walks of life.

A post shared by Jessica Goldman Srebnick (@jessicawynwood) on

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

If there were no charges filed against him then he should be given the benefit of the doubt

Giovanni said...

Great apology. If only this kind of public shaming worked on Donald Trump, but apparently it has no effect on people who are just evil.

Anonymous said...

I don't think the painting-over has anything to do with any controversy. They painted over PIXOTE too, above the mural.

Anonymous said...

Dont matter, he still laughs all the way to the bank. Which begs the question, whats the point of commissioning a person like this to do paintings? Hire someone better.

Anonymous said...

Tear down the wall it's a real estate ploy that markets the neighborhood. It's not art to me.

Anonymous said...

With the protest, it was a wise move to cover it up. It's also good that David owned up to what he said in that podcast interview and apologized. It's not cool to be that guy.

I also hope the women who curate this wall do more research before they choose artists, and I hope they improve their record of commissioning works by women.

East Village Community Member said...

I'm glad the Choe finally made a public apology. It should be noted that it took him three years, and a lot of public outcry and negative press attention, before he decided to make a full public apology. I do take some issue with his apology including the line that he doesn't have any ill will towards those who "spread the hate and speak out negatively against me." So he thinks the people who criticize his pro-rape comments are spreading hate against him? That is inappropriate and indicates that Choe doesn't fully comprehend the reason his actions are offensive. But his statement is certainly a step in the right direction. Still no public comment from Goldman Properties.

Anonymous said...

It sounds like he had a PR pro help him write this statement, which is fine as long as it reflects his true feelings.

The bit about him not having any ill will toward those who "spread hate and speak out negatively against me" is probably the portion that he wrote himself and insisted upon getting in there and indicates, as a poster above indicated, that he isn't fully taking responsibility.

But it sounds like he is on the path.

I would encourage him to get counseling and to ask for help and insight from some of the groups that help women who are the victims of sexual abuse.

He is an artist of some note, and him learning to be a better person and talking about his experiences could be useful to others.

Anonymous said...

I think people had every right to criticize this choice of artist for this very public art piece. Choe has made a very personal apology for his sexual assault comments which he tells us was not based on actual events, I tend to believe him and I assume mental heath professionals can confirm he is in treatment. There will be a point in time when we as a society has to forgive him and get past this. It is particularly hard for many people to move on when a man who brags about similar sexual assaults is the POTUS. I doubt any apology no matter how long and heartfelt will change the minds of every person but I for one hope he stays in treatment and can come to terms with his demons some day.

skeetmotis said...

Sometimes these cover-ups can be art on their own. Here are a couple I thought did so.

East Village Community Member said...

There was a public "No Means No" demonstration Sunday afternoon at the site of the mural.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVgArEKjBvT/?tagged=nomeansno

Anonymous said...

See, get peoples' attentions and they take action.

He apologized only because it didn't go over well as expected and it's cost im the mural and I'm guessing future business thus money. Apology not accepted.

Maybe he sexually assaulted women, maybe he didn't, but if he did, he should come forward or someone should come after him in court a la Cosby. Only then will we know the true story about this guy.

Anonymous said...

Still a massive douche. recall that in his original apology back when the shit first hit the fan, he actually concluded it saying "thank god for people like me" who shoot from the hip and tell interesting stories and aren't bound by boring political correctness or whatever. And now still he can't apology without trying to sneak in some weak little passive aggressive snark. Wah, shame on the haterz. Pro tip: anyone who whines about the so called haterz in their life, is a douche.

Anonymous said...

So now the excuse is that he is mentally ill? Jesus Christ.

Anonymous said...

It is easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa. Give me a break. Intelligent, caring, sincere, sensitive human beings think before they talk, or act. Saying you are sorry loudly does not make it any more, or should I say less, meaningful. If you want to show your fellow humans that you are actually sorry, do something other than go crying to the world..boo hoo sob stories are for petulant manipulative children.

Anonymous said...

Pretty weird that people seem satisfied with his "apology." So, he publicly admits forcing himself on a massage parlor worker, and then when later on when he's held accountable its "uh, I was in a bad place and I never did all these things. Just kidding." Like a little kid that got caught spilling juice on the rug. Absolutely pathetic.

That wasn't an apology since he never took responsibility for a damn thing. Rather, it was all about denying responsibility and trying to bail himself out with a lot of mealy-mouthed backpedaling. If it wasn't some poor woman in a massage parlor that was probably here illegally and terrified of getting deported or god know what from whoever owned the "establishment" he'd be making license plates for a long time. Which, mind you, he deserves to be.

One other thing to consider, a man who has it in him to do something like that almost certainly has done it more than once. Chew on that one for a minute.

Anonymous said...

So in her statement, Jessica is saying David privately apologized to her and her associates about his behavior, and that made it okay? That was enough? I am floored.

East Village Community Member said...

There is some great additional coverage of the ongoing discussion on this story and the Sunday protest at Hyperallergic. It includes protest pictures and insightful statements from the protest organizer Jasmine Wahi and an additional ineffectual and weak non-response from Jessica Goldman Srebnick at Goldman Properties.
https://hyperallergic.com/386156/artists-protest-sexual-violence-and-david-choes-bowery-mural/