Letter: Mass MoCA Paint-Over Is Unresolved Issue
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To the Editor:
Although Mass MoCA painted over the school children's historic depictions of Northern Berkshire mill
workers and the textile dolls on the pillars on Marshall Street in North Adams, to our knowledge the
issue still remains unresolved.
Over the past month, I have attended the North Adams Art Committee meetings in which two issues
were discussed relative to the paint-over. The first, was that a meeting was to be held between Joe
Thompson and the artist who supervised the children's project. Secondly, there was discussion
concerning removing a small sample of the gray paint that Mass MoCA unilaterally used to cover over
the children's art works. This sampling was to be done because the artist indicated that the paintings
were sealed with an anti-graffiti coating, which may have protected the historic depictions and, thus,
their reappearance might be accomplished.
I believe that many residents of this city enjoyed and appreciated the children's art work as it reflects
the historic relations that the mills had with the people, history and economy of the region. Many of our
relatives worked in places such as the Windsor Mills, the Arnold Print Works and other textile
companies, thus the art had an important connection to Northern Berkshire's past.
With this being said, although the art is currently gone from view, it is still there. It should not be
forgotten and importantly, a resolution in restoration should be accomplished. It is equally important
the issue be resolved in a timely manner.
Let's not, "kick the can down the road" any longer!
Vincent Melito
North Adams, Mass.
Tags: art commission,
