The desecration of a series of public murals on the Railway Trail has left the artists shocked and bewildered
The desecration of a series of public murals on the Railway Trail has left the artists shocked and bewildered.
In April, the roadside wall northeast of the Bailey’s Bay footbridge underwent a colourful transformation, as Bermudian artists painted murals depicting the area’s traditions and history.
Some of those stories have now been whitewashed and others altered – an action that apparently took place last weekend.
Shanna Hollis, chair of the Bermuda Arts Council, the project’s curator and one of the artists involved, told us that she happened to be driving by the murals when she noticed something amiss.
After she stopped to take a look, she was “absolutely disgusted to see that some of [her] colleagues’ murals had been painted over.”
“Nobody knows what happened or who did it… we have no clue.”
Ms Hollis said it appeared to be intentional, with some murals completely painted over, and alterations to others.
Three of the works which were totally whitewashed are by first-time mural artists.
“It’s painful to see hours and hours of work literally brushed away”, she said.
Ms Hollis added that there had been artworks on some of the walls prior to the project, and the artists agreed collectively that they would not paint over someone else’s “freedom of expression”.
She said it is disappointing to see that someone has done just that to her colleagues’ works.
“We are just trying to figure out what to do next”, Ms Hollis said, “and how to come together and rectify this situation.”
She hopes the community continues to encourage and support local artists in their spaces.
Tinee Furbert, Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors and the MP for St. George’s South, is one of the project’s collaborators. She told the Royal Gazette that the whitewashing showed a “lack of humanity, and selfishness” on the part of those responsible.
A Ministry spokesperson confirmed that the project team obtained permission from the Parks Commission to paint the wall, and the Minister is unaware of any complaints about the mural prior to the incident.
Additionally, the Ministry of Public Works advised that its staff did not paint over the artwork.
The project team intends to make a formal police complaint, Bermuda Tonight has been told, although a BPS spokesperson confirmed that no official report had been made as of this afternoon.
