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To Sound of Banging Pots & Pans DPW Paints Out Entire Front and One Side Of Mural

by Library Users Association
Rushing to destroy the Victor Jara mural the San Francisco Librarian Luis Hererra with the support of Gomez, president of the Library Commission and Supervisor David Campos painted over the Victor Jara mural.
800_p1150578.jpg
To Sound of Banging Pots & Pans
DPW Paints Out Entire Front and One Side
Of Community-created Victor Jara Work

Library Users Association
P.O. Box 170544, San Francisco, CA 94117-0544
PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: Peter Warfield
October 4, 2012 Tel./Fax: (415) 753-2180; cell (415)735-8963
2/3 of Bernal Mural – Gone
To Sound of Banging Pots & Pans
DPW Paints Out Entire Front and One Side
Of Community-created Victor Jara Work
San Francisco, October 4, 2012 – As protesters banged on pots and pans and blew a whistle, two Department of Public Works workers rolled beige paint over the community-created Victor Jara mural on the Bernal Heights Branch Library this morning, covering over two of the mural’s three sides.
First they painted out the right front panel that showed pyramids – Mexican, Egyptian, and San Francisco’s Transamerica pyramid – and honored the United Nations, planet Earth, and children. Next they painted out the Victor Jara / Holly Near musical panel on the front left of the library, including the poetry in Spanish and English and the names of the singers.
By lunchtime they had painted over the Moultrie Street side’s listing of more than 20 artists who had helped to create the mural, including Arch Williams, who was a member of the Haight Ashbury muralists; Carlos Alcala; Jo Tucker; and Nora Roman, among others. And their paint rollers beiged out what remained of the panel honoring working women – and the people of Bernal heights “pulling down a monument,” which “represents the people … working together to change the social conditions which divide and oppress us,” as the library’s 30-year old opening day description reads.
Nora Roman, whose name is listed on the mural as one of the artists, sent a letter to the City Librarian and other San Francisco officials asserting her rights to 90 days notice under the California Art Preservation Act (CAPA), but the library administration evidently paid no attention.
“Crime in progress,” chanted one of the protesters, and then later, “Crime scene.”
Peter Warfield, Executive Director of Library Users Association which has worked to preserve the mural for the last year, said it was a sad day for the library and for the City.
“This represents cultural, artistic, and historic destruction – and the stealing of democracy for the neighborhood and the city,” he said. Others present to support restoration included Steve Zeltzer of UPWA, and Deetje Boler.
Mr. Warfield said that the mural supporters were considering options for future action.
###
§Destroying the Victor Jara Mural
by Library Users Association
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DPW painters were ordered by the Libary management to paint over the mural despite an appeal from one of the artists to stop the destruction.
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Robert B. Livingston
Fri, Oct 5, 2012 12:00PM
Outraged
Fri, Oct 5, 2012 1:02AM
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