Yesterday, LA Raw protested Smithsonian Secretary Clough with BLU coffins and a DIY A Fire in My Belly cross in a Funeral Procession of Free Artistic Expression outside Town Hall LA where Clough repeated his excuses.
The next wave backlash to Deitch’s censoriship of Blu’s mural comes in the form of these Don’t Be Blu, Practice Safe Art condoms from L.A. Raw, the group behind the “Dump Deitch” laser graffiti protest. Great cause, catchy catchphrase… flawed metaphor? Read more »
This video from the MoCA parking lot protest and laser gun graffiti session provides some insight about how Jeffrey Deitch is perceived by the LA artist community post Blu whitewash. Intended or not, folks seems to think that Deitch censored an anti-war mural and displayed his own political views by doing so. The “MOCAca” tag is self-explanatory.
Last night in the parking lot of MoCA, a group of 20 gathered to protest Jeffrey Deitch’s censorship of Blu’s mural. They projected “Dump Deitch” “Give us back our walls!” “War is over?” and “We ♥ Blu” with a handmade laser graffiti gun on the museum’s north wall, along with the image of the whitewashed mural overwritten with “CENSORED.” Read more »
The fallout from Jeffrey Deich’s censorship of Blu’s mural still hasn’t settled and Brave New Films’ Robert Greenwald best explains why the MoCA director’s decision to buff the wall is more dishonorable to vets than the anti-war artwork. Read more »
Did a Blu Supporter Vandalize Jeffrey Deitch’s Home?
It’s impossible for us to confirm the following story, but since it’s funny, whether it happened or not, we decided to run with it. A tipster writes: Read more »
Whitewashing censorship controversy aside, Blu has been paid “directly” by Jeffrey Deitch and not by the museum. Still no word from the Wooster Collective, despite their promise!
In a letter to famed graffiti photographer Henry Chalfant (below), Blu gives the most complete commentary on MOCA whitewashing his mural. Deitch never asked for a sketch. On the 6th day of painting Blu was just drawing the dollar bills when Deitch decided the mural was offensive. Blu stopped. Deitch asked for a different mural. Blu declined. Deitch asked for Blu to sign a press release which Blu considered “self-censorship” and declined. As of yet, Blu has not been paid. Read more »
The artist group iGreen – “Artists in solidarity with People of Iran” – sent Jeffrey Deitch a letter earlier this week “strongly condemning” the whitewashing of Blu’s mural, adding that “Such blatant censorship is unconscionable.” The latest: this eye-catching piece in Los Angeles of the Supreme {ARTS} Leader, dubbed by iGreen as “Ayatollah Deitch.” Granted, buffing the mural isn’t the same as issuing a fatwā, but censorship is censorship and that’s quite the call-out. Read more »
Blu on MOCA Buff and Words: “Curatorial Choice” Was “Censorship”
Blu updated his website to clarify that Deitch affiliates and supporters can keep on calling the buffing of his mural a “curatorial choice” all they like, it’s still an act of censorship. Blu also restates what he told ANIMAL: the mural was not finished when photographed and promptly destroyed. Read more »
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