A post to the CHS Facebook Group started the search for restoring the King of the Hill mural
The original mural
An unfortunate graffiti clean-up accident temporarily removed a Capitol Hill landmark but neighbors were working this week to making things right again on E Olive Way.
A graffiti removal vendor reportedly accidentally covered up the mural of Aklilu “Abe” Abraham outside E Olive Way’s King of the Hill Market. UPDATE: People familiar with the situation have clarified that the graffiti removal was working with the building’s management, not a city clean-up contract.
CHS checked in with Abraham earlier this year about his recovery from emergency brain surgery — and his deep connection to the neighborhood who supported him and his market.
The graffiti removal crew mistake left the mural of Abraham covered in a layer of brown paint but the neighborhood has moved to quickly have the art restored. A post to the CHS Facebook Group to begin the search for a new artist to replace the work helped connect to what could end up an even better outcome — original artist Ethan Jack Harrington is now in contact to help sort out next steps.
Options could include paint remover that could take off the new layer and allow the original to be restored — or a new King of the Hill work on this curve of 1705 E Olive Way.
The good news is, like Abraham, the mural isn’t going away anytime soon.
$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE
🌈🐣🌼🌷🌱🌳🌾🍀🍃🦔🐇🐝🐑🌞🌻
Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you.
Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month -- or choose your level of support 👍
So silly that the city is paying people to remove art. First the Hot Rat mural and now this
It’s so stupid. I hate these Harrell “volunteers”
the article clearly states that the cleaner was privately hired by the building management. graffiti is a huge problem for businesses on Broadway and the surrounding area. ask your favorite local owner. they’ll tell you.
Hi, asked, and many prefer it over gray boring walls
I simultaneously can’t believe it, but fully believe it.
sounds like an honest mistake to me. graffiti is a massive problem for businesses.
Do you even live in the neighborhood and know Abe? Good God.
I’m incredibly curious: does anybody know what vendor and who hired them? Are any of them paying for the restoration or replacement?
Abe is one of the most awesome people on the hill if not the universe! He gave me and my friends so many honorary titles when we shopped there- mayor of the hill, princess of the hill, etc and it probably doesn’t help with our false sense of importance. But that dude is a true king! Very glad the mural his getting restored or replaced!
IT’s Harrell’s free-labor anti-street art task force
Every time you open your mouth Harrell’s reelection grows more certain. So thank you.
Sure Jan
So they paint over that tribute but there is countless other real graffiti everywhere else like on E Pine. Smh
if you look closely, the graffiti is constantly changing. that’s b/c there are cleanup crews desperately trying to keep up each week; some funded by the city, and a lot privately subsidized by individual businesses, like this instance.
I’m sure it’s graffiti off or whatever company is taking millions from the city.
The people taking millions from the city are the losers who think public infrastructure is their canvas. It is not. The city is reluctantly spending money to address the damage these imbeciles inflict on all our neighborhoods. Put the blame where it belongs.
“UPDATE: People familiar with the situation have clarified that the graffiti removal was working with the building’s management, not a city clean-up contract.“
Graffiti artists used to restrict it to bare, undecorated walls. At some point, they began vandalizing storefronts and murals. Can anyone tell me what changed?
High rent?