C’mon Austin, Watch Out For Your Street Art History!

by Paula Newton January 15, 2014

austin-muralOnly a couple of weeks after the iconic Daniel Johnston mural was defaced and only a couple of blocks away, vandals defaced the historic mural at Austin’s Renaissance Market, located at Guadalupe and 23rd street, directly across from the university. The mural, painted in 1976 by artist Kerry Awn (best known for Armadillo World Headquarters posters), depicts the history and character of Austin.

Brian Jewell, University Co-op marketing vice president, told the Daily Texan: “What is on the side of the building is art. It is not street art or graffiti. It was created by an artist.” While one may think that sort of distinction might irritate street artists, the Texan also spoke with Nathan Nordstrom (who goes by the pseudonym Sloke), a street artist who said he remembered looking at the 40-year-old mural when he was a child, who agreed that it was sheer vandalism. “I wouldn’t even call [the perpetrators] graffiti artists or street artists,” Nordstrom said. “[Their] stuff is horrible.”

Photo Credit: Jonathan Garza/Daily Texan Staff

Photo Credit: Jonathan Garza/Daily Texan Staff

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2 comments

Joe Spurlock January 16, 2014 - 10:01

Keep Austin wha? It is no longer the city it was; I think many people agree that The Capital, UT and the entire downtown area of Austin in general can sink into the earth…clean slate and get back to the old ways

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Angel Quesada January 23, 2014 - 17:10

So lame that these vandals did this.

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