w/new garage 
w/old garageThe John Egner mural is not what it used to be. The mural has survived but it has suffered significant damage from neglect and disregard. Outdoor murals can last a long time if they are cared for. There are many downtown murals that are looking beat up and are fading away.
There are three colors left on the John Egner mural. Early in the mural's life there were more colors. I have never talked to John about this but I wonder how he feels about the fate of this important work.
Even if a conservator were to restore it, the Park Shelton mural will never be the same again due to the new garage building covering half of it.
2 comments:
This is a disgrace. Just at the time we are about to welcome a new Museum of Contemporary Art, some of the most visible and important examples of contemporary visual statements are left to be "demolished by neglect".
Along with the Egner mural, there is the Kurt Novak mural on the side of the building that used to house the Detroit Artists Market for so many years, and then the Dell Pryor Galleries. This building is in Harmonie Park, and the mural, a huge face, can be seen from Gratiot.
The owners of the Park Shelton should be encouraged to restore the Egner mural, which has been there since 1974. They should get rid of the "Park Shelton Apartments" sign that covers the top, and bring the mural back to its original glory, at least, the portion that isnt covered by the parking structure.
This mural is a landmark now....its presence benefits the building by making it a stand-out, and functions as a visual lead-in to the
Cultural Center and Downtown.
Considering that Barry McGee is going to christen the outer wall of the new MOCAD building with one of his grafitti murals, wouldn't it be wonderful if the owners of the Park Shelton saw this as their opportunity to preserve the Egner mural?
Or am I just wasting my breath as a latter-day Pollyanna?
So be it. Call me naive.
Egner is right.....that IS valuable property. As a teacher he always helped us to see the practical side of any situation, especially when it came to the ever-present battles between artistic communities and the powers that be. Move on, and continue to make your art, he said. That is how you ultimately win the battle.
The owners of the Park Shelton should realize that the values of intellectual, visual, artistic, and emotional properties are important.
I just dont want to see this mural go the way of the Aris Koutroulis mural that was on the Opera House, and the Al Loving mural that was sandblasted off of the First National. These were major works of art that exist in their full glory only in memory.
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