WHAT A SWEET TREAT…
I caught @hirickyreyes revitalizing the 'M' in the Black Lives Matter mural on Capitol Hill.
Thanks for brightening up the mural, and my day 🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/qV04PAXURY
— aloysious.eth (@AL0YSI0US) July 10, 2022
The colors of the Black Lives Matter mural that mark the site of the 2020 CHOP protests on Capitol Hill are brighter this morning.
The art, now maintained as a permanent element of the E Pine streetscape by the Seattle Department of Transportation, is getting a round of maintenance and touch-ups this weekend with some of the original artists participating in the work.
SDOT said it expects the mural will require periodic refreshes over the years.
The Black Lives Matter street mural on Pine in Seattle’s Capitol Hill – originally painted during the 2020 protests – getting a touch-up this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/U9LCc45ihQ
— Rod Huntress (@rodhuntress) July 10, 2022
CHS reported here on the decision in the months following the July 2020 clearance of the Capitol Hill Occupied protest zone to make the big block-lettered mural a permanent part of the street to help memorialize that summer’s protests that came in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.
Takiyah Ward, Kimisha Turner, and the other artists were brought together to recreate the mural after a botched preservation effort.
To further protect and respect the work, E Pine’s flow has also changed for good with slower, shared lanes of traffic replacing curb parking along with new stop signs to keep speeds down in the busy pedestrian area.
Another BLM-inspired street mural was later added in front of Seattle City Hall.
Meanwhile, colorful pavement continues to spread on Capitol Hill. Last month, 15th Ave E added this new Pride-inspired rainbow bus bulb.
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Love the Black Lives Matter street mural! I hope it is tended and kept beautiful for many decades to come! Not only does it (most importantly) commemorate the summer of protest after the murder of George Floyd, it also slows traffic and adds to the pedestrian vibe of the park.