[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...
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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/
18 comments:
If there were no charges filed against him then he should be given the benefit of the doubt
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.
I don't think the painting-over has anything to do with any controversy. They painted over PIXOTE too, above the mural.
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.
Tear down the wall it's a real estate ploy that markets the neighborhood. It's not art to me.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sometimes these cover-ups can be art on their own. Here are a couple I thought did so.
There was a public "No Means No" demonstration Sunday afternoon at the site of the mural.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVgArEKjBvT/?tagged=nomeansno
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.
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.
So now the excuse is that he is mentally ill? Jesus Christ.
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.
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.
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.
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/
Post a Comment