Endangered Species
In 2009, SPARC’s Mural Rescue Team, the Venice Arts Council Art Fund, and the W. S. Scharff Foundation commissioned the restoration of Endangered Species because of the sand, salt, old wax, remnants of tagging, and general grime on the mural. The damage was so bad that some images could not be delineated. With the help of a generous donation by local resident Patricia Greenfield, the mural was cleaned in preparation for the May Garden and Home Tour. As a part of the restoration efforts, Endangered Species was covered with a layer MuralShield, a coating that protects public artworks from vandalization and UV damage, and allows for graffiti to be removed without harming the mural underneath. After three months of hard work, Emily Winters saw the mural and said, “This is the mural I remember. It looks brand new, and I can finally see the images.” Because Winters is a long time Venice resident and Chair of the Venice Arts Council, she considers her efforts a positive contribution to a rapidly growing Venice community.
Written by Jorge Gonzalez, c/o ‘24