Three Taylor High School students have repainted a mural in Potters Alley damaged by anti-data center vandalism that also tagged another artwork honoring the city’s 150th birthday.
The murals are painted together on the brick wall used for public art behind the McCrory Timmerman Building at Second and North Main streets.
The students’ mural, as well as a sesquicentennial mural for the city of Taylor, had parts of the phrases “We want a park” and “(expletive) your data center” spray-painted on them.
Both statements are allusions to a bitter dispute brewing in Taylor over the arrival of a data center on land neighbors and activists say was intended for a park.
High school students Cindy Chapter, Lorelei Chapter and Emiliano Esparza this week painted over the protests that spilled onto the artwork originally created by Taylor pupils.
The murals were damaged sometime between July 19-20. An officer with the Taylor Police Department made the discovery, but no arrests have been reported.
According to Taylor officials, Linea de Vida Church approached the city with a proposal to donate a mural for Potter’s Alley to honor Taylor’s sesquicentennial.
The Public Arts Advisory Board approved the mural, which was done by Chilean artist Gabriel Alapinta July 18-19.
Alapinta is traveling across the United States painting murals. Hours after he finished the tribute, a vandal or vandals defaced it and the other mural created by the Taylor High students, officials said.
City crews tried removing the graffiti using specialized cleaning products, but had to curtail those plans or risk damaging the artwork.
The 150th birthday mural was restored July 21-22 by local artist Cody Seigmund – just days before the three Taylor students restored their mural.
“It is unfortunate that someone chose to disrespect the beautiful artwork that was donated to the community,” said Daniel Seguin, Taylor’s executive director of community services, said earlier this week. “We are proud of the work to restore the mural by some of our local artists. It is beautiful when a community comes together for the benefit of all.”
