A historical mural that’s been on display for nearly 20 years in a California town is set to be painted over after people complained about its show of nudity.
The painting, titled ‘The Capture of the Solid, Escape of the Soul’, was first introduced to Oakland’s Piedmont Avenue in 2006 by Rocky Rische-Baird.
The mural depicts a historically accurate representation of the Ohlone Native Americans’ horrific extinction by Spanish missionaries, including images of Ohlone natives being handed blankets and clothing infected with smallpox.
But, a recent email sent to tenants of the Castle Apartment building – where the mural is located – said the longtime piece of art will be taken down because some have ‘interpreted’ the nude Ohlone man in the painting ‘as offensive.’
SG Real Estate Co. Director of Property Management Gracy Rivera told residents it was time ‘to retire the mural’ so it can be an ‘inclusive, welcoming environment for everyone,’ the email obtained by SFGATE read.
‘Over the past several weeks, we’ve received feedback from members of our community identifying aspects of the mural that may be interpreted as offensive,’ Rivera wrote.
‘After careful review, we believe it’s appropriate to retire the mural to ensure our shared spaces reflect an inclusive, welcoming environment for everyone.’
It’s unclear how many people complained to property management about the mural and when it will be removed. Daily Mail contacted Rivera for comment.
The news has infuriated locals who have appreciated the painting for decades, including fellow muralist Dan Fontes.
Fontes, the man behind the iconic giraffe and zebra paintings on the town’s freeway columns, said Rische-Baird made sure to properly research each painting he created – including this one.
‘I don’t think there is another mural artist who has depicted all of what our colleges -Laney, Mills – have been teaching all along,’ Fontes told the outlet.
‘I see the tales of the Native American community being disrespected and pushed out. It harkens back to the business of if you don’t know your own history, you’re condemned to repeat the mistakes of the past.’
The artist went on to describe Rische-Baird as a ‘genius’ whose mural is visited by so many ‘to reinforce the lessons that history teaches us all.’
Other locals who have been enamored with the mural for years are equally upset about the recent news of its destruction.
‘I’m pissed,’ Tim O’Brien, who watched the mural come to life two decades ago, said.
‘I told my sister up in Seattle and she’s pissed,’ he added.
He recalled the mural sparking a lot of controversy when it was first unveiled, as protestors took to the streets over its inclusion of nudity.
But O’Brien believes there will always be those who care more about ‘property values’ than the true meaning behind the art.
‘But anytime there’s something you do and put your heart and soul into, somebody doesn’t give a rat’s a**,’ he continued. ‘They’re only concerned about their property values.’
The controversial mural has long been the target of vandalism, as people quickly scratched out the genitals of the naked man and wrote graffiti near ‘offensive’ body parts, according to Valerie Winemiller.
Winemiller, another local and neighborhood activist, has taken it upon herself to remove the graffiti over the years.
‘I think it’s a really important piece in the neighborhood simply because it’s not commercial,’ she told SFGATE.
‘So much of our public space is really commercial space. I think it’s really important to have non-commercial art that the community can enjoy.’
Rische-Baird, who now lives a reclusive life out of state, is no stranger to his murals sparking fury in the Golden State.
He painted at least four murals in Oakland, all of which he extensively researched and planned out ahead of time.
Rische-Baird painted two that depicted the Key System train line in town, but they were later removed.
He painted ‘The Capture of the Solid, Escape of the Soul’ over six months and depended solely on community donations to create it.
For it, he built his own scaffolding and placed a small wooden box to accept coin and cash donations.
In total, Rische-Baird spent about eight hours every day creating the mural.