(KNX 1070) -- A historic mural on a freeway wall in downtown Los Angeles was painted over by a The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority contractor. But Metro has an explanation.
The artist, Judy Baca, is upset. The mural, called "Hitting the Wall," was painted 35 years ago to celebrate the first time women were allowed to run in an Olympic marathon. Metro says it simply made a mistake.
Apparently, a graffiti-abatement contractor didn't realize there was art under all that graffiti.
"Metro has determined that a mural entitled “Hitting the Wall” was painted over by its graffiti-abatement contractor on February 26, 2019, due to extensive graffiti," Metro said in a statement.
"Metro is committed to working with the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) to resolve the matter.
"As part of the Freeway Beautification Program, Metro has been providing, through its contractor, supplemental landscaping, graffiti abatement and litter removal along this stretch of the 110 freeway on Caltrans’ right of way. Due to the extensive graffiti coverage on the mural, our contractor did not recognize that there was a mural under this section of wall. We apologize on behalf of our contractor and will move forward to resolve this matter with SPARC.