Statement on Dismantling of Maine's Labor History Mural

The removal of Maine's labor history mural from the Maine Department of Labor has brought national attention to Maine and ignited protests from artists, labor supporters and many others who are simply concerned about what they see as a Governor's attempt to rewrite history to suit his tastes and encourage an amorphously-defined pro-business atmosphere.

Numerous arts organizations and businesses have come out against the removal of the mural, among them the Union of Maine Visual Artists, Maine College of Art, Susan Maasch Fine Art and Aucocisco Galleries, as well as hundreds of individual artists. They join many labor supporters in opposing the removal of the mural, which was commissioned by the Department of Labor in large part with federal monies and created by artist Judy Taylor. In an interesting twist, the US Department of Labor has now asked that the state return the federal monies used to help fund the mural.

Bangor Media Collective prepared a statement on the removal, which circulated via Facebook and email. A copy of the statement was sent to each member of the Portland City Council when the Collective learned that the city of Portland was slated to vote on whether to accept the mural. I am delighted to report that, likely encouraged by the voices of disapproval from thousands of Mainers as well as personal convictions, the Council chose not to put this item on the agenda:

Councilor Dory Waxman said she does not think the city should get involved with the mural.

"That was not the intention of the Portland City Council," Waxman said. "I think I can safely say that on behalf of all the councilors."

Waxman also noted that there are rules for state-commissioned art, and those rules need to be explored.

"I really question whether it is the governor's right to remove (the mural)," Waxman said.

Portland Press Herald, March 29 2011 (link)

You can keep updated on the unfolding situation by visiting the Saving the "History of Maine Labor" Mural blog.


Statement on Dismantling of Maine's Labor History Mural

Bangor Media Collective is a group of over forty artists, performers, promoters and supportive citizens in the greater Bangor area. We believe that the arts serves a vital humanitarian purpose in our lives. Art has the opportunity to affirm life, expand possibilities, encourage compassion, and change hearts. As such, art is never neutral. To claim that art in the public or governmental sphere "should" be neutral is to engage in a particularly insidious form of partisanship.

It is with this understanding that we strongly condemn the intention of Maine's Governor Paul LePage to remove the 36-foot mural depicting Maine's labor history from the Maine Department of Labor building. Just as art cannot be neutral, neither can government. In fact, we do not want a government that pretends neutrality, but rather a government that supports the right of working families to provide for themselves. The mural, which depicts historical movements and moments in labor history, provides a historical and artistic backdrop for the rights of working families today. If the mural presents a bias, it is precisely the type of bias that we wish to encourage in our legislators, businesspeople, and fellow citizens.

We urge Governor LePage and staff to restore the mural, and Portland City Council, legislators, business owners, non-profit organizations, and all parties involved in the proposed dismantling and move of the artwork to reject their roles in the removal of this artwork and to take steps to ensure that the artwork stays in place, as a symbol of our dignity as workers and human beings.


Photo by Suzanne Anderson.