A large mural is being painted on the facade of a landmark office building at the crossroads in Kensington. The giraffe image is being completed where Connecticut Avenue splits to go on to Wheaton and Aspen Hill, or as University Boulevard to College Park. A skateboarder riding down the neck of the animal is in the process of emerging from the gray brick, via the painter's brush.
The building, 3720 Farragut Avenue, was constructed in 1963. It was renovated in 2019, and the mural is being touted as a selling point in the property's leasing materials, for making the structure easily identifiable by drivers. What do you think about this public art piece?
A talented artist, no doubt… but a sad commentary on the community’s values. A giraffe is not a thing that may be used for a thrill.
ReplyDeleteLike many other animals, these living beings face mounting threats, including from habitat loss due to human encroachment. Giraffes belong in the grasslands of Africa, not on a city building as a proxy for a skateboard ramp.
If we care about building a kinder, gentler world, a first step is to treat the living world with respect. Objectifying a giraffe, no matter how beautiful the painting is, is a step in the wrong direction.