FOLLOWUP: Vandalized West Seattle Junction mural to be restored

| Crime | West Seattle history | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photo, last month)

Two weeks ago, we reported on vandalism defacing this mural on the West Seattle Junction Post Office – someone splashing beige paint over the depictions of a woman and two children of color, just to the right side of the parade-float royalty in the scene. Volunteers removed some of the paint, but couldn’t get it all. The West Seattle Junction Association announced today that donations will cover the cost of restoration:

Through the generosity of community donors, a $500 donation from the Alki Art Fair, and a significant donation from Mashiko, we can move forward restoring the mural and applying a critical graffiti coating to the entire surface.

WSJA executive director Lora Radford tells WSB that muralist Bob Henry, who has restored other historic West Seattle murals, will do the work when it gets a little warmer and drier. P.S. The mural-restoration crowdfunding campaign is still ongoing, here.

Junction Resident February 2, 2021 (5:28 pm)

Thank you for highlighting both the original crime and the restoration effort. It is important to acknowledge the uncomfortable truth that racism, subtle and overt, exists in our community. And someone is really willing to pack up their beige paint, drive it to a very public street, and splash it onto the representation of the (very few) people of color, all to send a signal. I am particularly struck by the pettiness of this act.We donated to the restoration fund tonight.

kate February 2, 2021 (8:57 pm)

Thank you Alki Air Fair and Mashiko.

Danny O'Reilly February 2, 2021 (9:11 pm)

Thank you so much for restoring this mural! I see it every time I go to the post office and I always love to look at it. I’m very sad to hear that it was vandalized but am so happy it is being restored!

Alex S. February 3, 2021 (12:20 pm)

There’s a notorious Capitol Hill graffiti supplies store that profits from these taggers who ruin our neighborhoods: the thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals they spread around the city should be taxed, and the proceeds should help pay for the millions of dollars spent each year to clean up these attention-starved boys’ messes. Also, Instagram & Youtube should stop elevating and exacerbating local graffiti “artists'”/ taggers’ vandalism. It’s become a plague in our city.

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