BLM artist suggests embracing 'additions' to Northland piece

Tire tracks, white paint cover recent artwork

TIRE MARKS STRETCHEDACROSS ONE OF THEBLACK LIVES MATTERMURALS IN THENORTHLAND.IT'S A SIGHT UPSETTINGSOME PEOPLE WHOREACHED OUT TO USABOUT THE ISSUE.WE DECIDED TO TAKE ITTO POLICE -- AND TARTIST WHO DESIGNEDTHE MURALS.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER ARIELROTHFIELD HAS THEIRRESPONSE.Harold Smith/ Mural ArtistI've often said if you wantknow what happened, read ahistory book.

If you want toknow how it affected people,look at the artwork.FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE,HAROLD SMITH HAS BEENDOING EXACTLY THAT.CAPTURING EMOTIONSAND TELLING STORIESTHROUGH PAINTONE OF THE MANYREASONS HE DESIGNEDTHIS BLACK LIVES MATTERMURAL NEAR BRIARCLIFFHarold Smith/ Mural ArtistWith all the bright colors, Ithink it captures the vibranand the energy and the powerthat is present in black livA VIBRANCY DULLED BYSPLATTERED WHITE PAINTAND TIRE MARKS,Ariel Rothfield/ 41 Action NewsThis is one of six murals inKansas City.

Painted over aweek agoEric Bunch/ Kansas CityCouncilman, Fourth DistricI'm absolutely disappointedthat in an effort to call forthend of systemic racism.

Thisgesture towards the goalCOUNCILMAN ERIC BUNCHSPONSORED ARESOLUTION, WHICHPAVED THE WAY FORTHESE MURALSALL OF THEM ARELOCATED ON CITYSTREETSOME OF THEM, INCLUDINGTHE MURALS ON 18TH ANDVINE AND 10TH ANDBALTIMOREHAVE TIRE MARKS ONTHEM.

BUT NOT THEEXTENT AS BRIARCLIFF'SEric Bunch/ Kansas CityCouncilman, Fourth DistrictIt's a serious affront to ourefforts to end racism, todeface mural like that.

Itdoes mean more to me than aregular street41 ACTION NEWSCONTACTED Kansas CityPOLICEA SPOKESPERSON SAIDTHE CITY HAS NOT FILED APOLICE REPORT, WHICH ISNEEDED TO LAUNCH ANINVESTIGATIONIF AN INVESTIGATION ISLAUNCHED, THEDEPARTMENT WOULDWORK WITH THE CLAYCOUNTY PROSECUTORTO DETERMINE WHAT- IFANY- POTENTIAL CRIMINALCHARGES COULD APPLUNTIL THAT HAPPENS, THISWILL BE TREATED AS WEARAND TEARAS FOR THE ARTISTBEHIND THE MURHarold Smith/ Mural ArtistDo what Bob Ross said,make it a happy accident.HE PREFERSEMBRACING THE MARKS,RATHER THAN PAINTINGOVER THEM,AS A WAY TO ADD TO THEMURAL'S MESSAGEHarold Smith/ Mural ArtistBlack culture and black arthas always taken black paiand the things that happenedto create more artREPORTING IN Kansas Ci