The artist behind the All Bike(r)s Welcome mural is floating a new compromise in hopes of saving it.
At their last meeting, City Council members did not reach a conclusion on whether the mural should be altered, taken down, or left as is.
The proposal from artist Paige Dirksen is on the discussion agenda for a non-voting meeting of the City Council on August 25. The City Council is expected to vote on the future of the mural at their regular meeting on August 26.
The complaints surrounding the mural have shifted each time it has come before the City Council.
The initial concerns expressed were that the finalized mural differed in several places from the city-approved mockups created before painting began. At the time, there was only a cursory mention by one City Council member about some residents feeling part of the mural resembled a transgender flag.
Some City Council members, after further discussion, felt it resembled advertising for All Bikes Welcome. In June, a compromise was reached: Dirksen would remove the Instagram usernames for herself and the All Bikes Welcome organization in the bottom left of the mural. The City Council codified the compromise with an official resolution.
When complaints from residents caused the debate to be revisited by the City Council earlier this month, it became clear that the complaints stemmed from a belief that part of the mural resembles a transgender flag and from opposition to All Bikes Welcome as an organization.
Upper left hand part of mural
Transgender flag
The latest proposal from the artist focuses on removing any potential ways that the mural could be construed as advertising the All Bikes Welcome organization. It does not include repainting the part of the mural that complainants argue resembles a transgender flag.
Elements of the proposed compromise from the artist:
“1) Mural Text. The artist proposes changing “all bike(r)s welcome” to “all bikers welcome”. By removing the parentheses, the artist removes the alternative reading of the text, and any implied reference to “All Bikes Welcome” within the content of the mural.
2) Wheel Image. Currently the image next to “all bike(r)s welcome” is a moniker resembling a flower with a wheel inside of it. This moniker also appears in certain branded materials used by All Bikes Welcome. It is the only emblem in the piece that All Bikes Welcome appears to use with any intent concerning branding. While the City and the complainants have not raised any objections to this at this time, given Council’s guidance concerning a corporate connection within the mural, we believe it is appropriate to replace that moniker in this work.
3) Title. Consistent with the above listed modifications, the artist will change the title of the artwork to “All Bikers Welcome”.
The letter from Dirksen’s attorney said that the proposed compromise does not waive the “overall integrity of the art or free speech which she is guaranteed under various state and federal laws including without limitation the Visual Artists Rights Act, 17 U.S. § 106(A) and the United States Constitution, First Amendment.”
Mural before Instagram handles were removed.
New mockup of mural with proposed changes