Texas Covers Up Beloved "Black Artists Matter" Mural in Austin
Austin officials covered up the “Black Artists Matter” street mural on East Austin’s 11th Street on Thursday, July 2, following an order from Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The mural was created in June 2020 by dozens of community members during protests after the murder of George Floyd, led by the Austin Justice Coalition and Capitol View Arts. Abbott directed Texas cities last fall to remove “political ideologies” from streets and threatened to withhold roadway funding; Austin’s request for exemptions, citing crash data showing the artworks did not pose a safety risk, was rejected by the state in May. According to documents reviewed by Hyperallergic, the city plans to remove at least 15 street artworks—including LGBTQ+ Pride rainbow crosswalks—through August, and local advocates argue the removals contribute to erasing Black and LGBTQ+ history from public view.
From This Briefing
This story was covered in Museum Power Plays and Cultural Flashpoints