By Olivia Taylor.

Fans of Parks and Recreation may remember an episode which revolves around a 1930’s mural painted on the walls of Pawnee City Hall. In the show, the mural was vandalized by offended citizens because it depicted racist scenes from U.S. history. In response to the public’s unease, the town renamed the mural and wrote a statement instructing viewers that they should consider the piece as both historically important and artistic, yet horrifying and shameful.

*Diversity Express* mural from *Parks and Recreation*. Formerly titled *Spirit of Pawnee*

While re-contextualizing controversial historical art apparently makes for good social/comedic commentary, it is also a real phenomenon that has confronted public art in the recent years. This narrative hit home when it was discovered that Simka Simkhovitch, artist and great grandfather to the author, painted a courthouse mural in Jackson, Mississippi in 1937, which later became controversial. The story…

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“Francis Bacon Portrait of Lucian Freud to Set Record at Christie’s Auction”

via Global News

“LONDON – A painting that brings together two of Britain’s greatest artists could become one of the most expensive modern artworks ever sold when it is auctioned in New York next month. Christie’s auction house says Francis Bacon’s “Three Studies of Lucian Freud” could sell for as much as $100 million. . . . “ Read the rest of this article here.

Cultured Muse’s Input

Apparently the last painting of Bacon’s that sold went for $86 million, but this is expected to bring in far more. This particular work is actually a portrait of the same man (Lucian Freud–A German/British painter living in early 1900s) in three different poses. Bacon and Freud were both friends and rivals in the art world, and Bacon painted several works depicting Freud (1, 2) In fact, in Bacon’s “Self Portrait,” he actually painted (more…)