Watsonville Brown Beret mural raises questions about public art

On November 25, 2008, in Other, by tomas

From the Santa Cruz Sentinel
Donna Jones – Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted: 11/21/2008 01:30:29 AM PST

Masked figures with raised fists share the space with a flashy bike rider and giant bugs on a wall tucked behind a former furniture store on Main Street.

The vivid mural, which draws its inspiration from ancient Aztec culture and modern street art, adorns the Brown Berets Bike Shack, a place where teens can work on their own bikes or fix up others to hand out for free. The shop is the latest venture of the youth group known for its political organizing.

But the two-week-old mural has found at least one critic, and since the Berets failed to get a permit, the group will have to go before the City Council for a retroactive approval.

Watsonville writer and business owner Steve Bankhead said the council should consider the appropriateness of the mural.

“I’m a longtime defender and practitioner of free speech, but I also have great concerns for the economic health of downtown Watsonville,” Bankhead said Thursday via e-mail. “That leaves the question of whether potential shoppers or business owners would be attracted or repelled by downtown public art displaying masked figures raising clenched fists, or similar images.”

Jenn Laskin, a Brown Berets organizer, said the group’s mission in general and at the Bike Shack in particular is to give youth, especially those at risk of running into trouble, the chance to participate in more constructive activities. The mural was designed with them in mind, and features symbols they can relate to. She said the raised fists are more about empowerment than militancy.

“The mural is focused on young people. It’s not about downtown shoppers,” Laskin said. “Youth find it appealing, and want to hang out.”

Laskin said most people walking downtown will never see the mural, which is hidden behind the building and not visible from Main Street.

Marcela Tavantzis, Watsonville’s interim community development director, said the permit problem appeared to be an “honest mistake” and that the Berets had permission from the Ow family, which owns the building at 555 Main St. Still, they’ll have to obtain the $200 permit and the council could require modifications to the mural, she said.

The city prohibits using murals for advertising proposes, but otherwise guidelines are vague, though they suggest depictions of nudity and violence will be closely scrutinized.

Mayor Kimberly Petersen, who hadn’t seen the mural, said in general the council needs to be sensitive to the feelings of those who are affected by public art, but also needs to take care not to stifle creative expression.

“Anything could be controversial,” she said. “It’s in the eye of the beholder.”
Contact Donna Jones at 763-4505 or djones@santacruzsentinel.com.