Murals Lost

Our History Moves From Slavery Toward Freedom, John Pitman Weber, Sherman Oaks, CA, 1993, 16' x 80'.

Our History Moves From Slavery Toward Freedom (1993) depicting the Jewish exodus was considered to be one of the finest murals in the Los Angeles area. It was painted by a co-founder of the contemporary mural movement, John Pitman Weber, who is based in Chicago. In summer 2008, the building it was painted on, the Valley Cities Jewish Community Center in Sherman Oaks, was sold and the new owner could not be persuaded to keep the mural. In accordance with the Visual Artists Rights Act, Mr. Weber was served with 90-days notice that it would be destroyed. Read news accounts about this mural here.

The Fire Next Time I, Dewey Crumpler, San Francisco, 1977. 35’ x 46’(est)

This mural’s dramatic depiction of tensions of being African American in the United States was an icon of a San Francisco neighborhood that was populated by black shipyard workers during World War II and experienced turbulent times since, such as the race riots of the 1960s. The building on which the mural was painted was recently destroyed. The loss of the mural erases a piece of local culture and history, as well as the work of a significant African-American artist.

Wall of Respect for the Working People of Chinatown, Cityarts Workshop and local youth, directed by Tomie Arai, New York City, 1977. 35’ x 25’ (est.)

This mural was one of the last Chinatown murals of the early mural movement. Executed largely by local youth, it became a model of their ability to influence their community. Unfortunately, it was destroyed in 2006, when the building it was painted on was torn down for new development.

Lakas Sambayanan, Johanna Poethig, Vicente Clemente, Presco Tabios, San Francisco, 1986. 35’ x 80’ (est.)

Painted by a collaboration of artists that combined technical skill and conscientious sensitivity to historical events depicted, this mural captures the end of Marcos dictatorship and Aquino’s rise to power. Though it had faded severely, it spoke directly to the local Filipino population was seen by thousands of people a day from nearby highways. When the building changed owners in 2006, the new owners painted over it with a mural for their commercial business.

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