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Of the many outrages connected to the largest public school closings in American history, we may now be adding to the list the destruction of part of the city’s cultural heritage.
CPS has one of the country’s largest collections of WPA-era murals.
Over the past decade these murals have been in the process of restoration after years of neglect.
Trumball School on the City’s north side is one of the schools blessed by these lovely and historic works of art. But Trumbull is on Rahm’s closing list.
Friends of Trumball School announced yesterday:
CPS has informed Trumbull officials that they will be sending people in tomorrow to remove the historic panels that adorn the entryway to our Auditorium. We respectfully ask CPS to hold off from dismantling our school for two more weeks, so the students and staff don’t have to be subjected to this callous behavior. These children love their school, some have been here for nine years! Please allow them to finish their time in the school they love, and not let the last memories they have of this beautiful and historic building be ones of CPS pillaging the expensive and significant treasures that lie within. It’s hurtful enough they have been forced to watch CPS count classrooms and take measurements for it’s sale/lease.
Heather Becker of the Chicago Conservation Center has said of the CPS murals, “The government put artists to work to make images that would become part of the community, and that were owned by the community.”
I have met Becker when she was involved in the preservation of the Lane Tech WPA murals. CCC has been instrumental in the identification and preservation of CPS WPA murals. It is interesting that Becker and CCC apparently were not consulted in the planned removal of the Trumball WPA murals.
CPS has given very little warning or notice of how they intend to carry out the mural removal.
The Trumbull principal was only notified a few days ago.
The Trumbull murals consist of two lunettes – half-moon shaped paintings that may either be on canvass or frescoes.
Chicago Preservation is apparently involved in the removal, although some question their expertise in doing so. This is particularly odd considering that Becker and CCC have had a long-standing relationship with CPS when it comes to handling the murals.
There is a Trumbull Local School Council meeting this afternoon at 3PM.
Mural removal is scheduled for 4PM.
Fred Klonsky 
“Removing murals from a building is ethically a dicy subject: a mural is site specific… Meaning that historically, it belongs on the wall it was painted on. It’s part of the architecture.
Theoretically, its removal is ethically wrong from an art history, art conservation, and purist point of view. There are, however, circumstances where removal of murals from its intended location is justified… or even heroic! Some of these include demolition of buildings (or parts of), unstable structures and other conditions that run contrary to the preservation of the art.
“Even in questionable circumstances where the removal of the mural may not be justified… but it appears to be decided upon that the removal WILL take place (maybe for political reasons)… I am available to lend my expertise because I believe the best result for the artwork is more likely to happen with my help than without it.
“I am often asked by contractors and architects what is involved and how much it will cost to remove a mural… over the phone, without even seeing the mural! My answer to this unanswerable question is this video.
“This video is made for architects, project planners and general contractors planning jobs where murals may be involved. However, the information should be very interesting for anyone interested in the arts, historic preservation, art history”:
http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/taking-off-a-mural-from-a-wall-removing-murals-detaching-murals-video/
How sad and unjust…
These are at Kohn, Wentworth, Lafayette, and West Pullman as well. And maybe Stewart too? There are WPA ones at Kohn, Wentworth, and West Pullman–they are federal property, and CPS either needs to display them or give them back to the federal gov’t.
CPS asked for Heather Becker for a bid, but when she outlined in detail what she’d need to do to even to put together a bid, they said they already had picked a firm—Parma.
Super dodgy frankly.
These have all gotten a stay of execution until the end of the school year, but someone needs to be keeping very close tabs. I said this on the news today, and firmly believe it:
“I don’t have a lot of confidence in CPS’s ability to take care of the living children that are being affected by these closures and I don’t have much more confidence that they can take care of the historical artifacts either frankly,”
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22526918/2013/06/06/after-parents-complain-cps-halts-mural-removal-program-wpa-chicago-schools
Now the Conservation Center wants the contract instead? Am I reading this correctly? Is this an actual story or just the Conservation Center trying to use social media to libel a firm that did very reputable work for the Field Museum and deserves the contract?
Bad form anonymous. The Conservation Center didn’t make this an issue. Heather Becker was contacted by me and others after Friends of Trumbull complained. I couldn’t care less about who gets the contract. But apparently you do. Anonymously.
With all due respect, Mr. Klonsky, I don’t think the above question is out-of-line. Having stumbled upon your blog after reading a number of articles on the murals, I also found Ms. Becker’s role a tad concerning. Ms. Becker is assuredly an expert and it’s good to know she didn’t solicit her appearance on this site. But her company holds commercial interest in the project.
It’s not clear if her negative sentiments are toward the competence of CPS or the selected firm, Parma. A perfunctory web search shows Parma is a reputable Chicago firm, yet they are not represented. How do we know Ms. Becker’s worries over the restoration process isn’t also intended to bring public doubt to a business competitor?
Thank you for your in-depth coverage of this matter and I mean no offense with my comment.
No offense taken.
The only crime Heather Becker committed was taking my phone call.
Once again, the issue did not surface because of anything Heather Becker said.
That she has a commercial interest is undeniable. That she also has a professional interest in doing the job is proven by the fact that she bid on it.
But so what?
She was not critical of any proposal because she was not aware of any proposal.
Take no offense. But you ignore the issue of the impact of removing historic works of art from the schools where they were intended to remain. It is the result of a misguided – stupid really – decision by the CPS board to close 50 schools.
Whether it is Heather Becker or Parma is of no consequence to me.