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The philadelphia mural staring as the exclusive cover art to Kurt Vile‘s 2013 LP Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze, has been tragically defaced.
The epic artwork, created by king of the Philadelphia mural and sign painting Steve ‘ESPO’ Powers, was daubed with white wash by a local resident identified as Lee Mayjahs. He claims the mural was “attracting graffiti to the neighbourhood”.
Despite attempts by other locals to stop his offenses, Mayjahs, armed with a paint roller and copious tins of white wash, coated the entire mural, leaving a sticky, patchy residue in place of the phenomenal ESPO piece.
There is however, a silver lining to this tale. Mayjahs has admitted his actions were wrong and is claiming he was unaware of the piece’s cultural importance to the neighbourhood, despite having lived in the area for 15 years, and has offered Steve Powers a fee to come and re-paint the artwork. Read an interview between Lee Mayjahs and Philadelphia Metro reporter Leah R. Kauffman, posted to her facebook page yesterday.
Watch this short film about the creation of the mural.
Check out the VICE documentary, dedicated to Steve Powers and his art.