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# Deitch Breaks Silence On Blu Whitewash
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/deitch-explain-blu-whitewash/
- Published: 2010-12-14T05:49:28.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T15:37:46.000Z
- Description: MOCA Director Jeffrey Deitch has finally broken his silence and spoken to the Los Angeles Times over the recent whitewashing of the Blu wall commissioned for the upcoming Art in the Streets exhibition, which will be the first major US museum show featuring street art.
- Author: Hrag Vartanian
- Tags: Opinion, #image-position-hidden, Blu, Censorship, Marc Schiller, Street Art, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2025-11-17 09:23 (2009-2011)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/deitchspeaks-home.jpg "deitchspeaks-HOME")

MOCA Director Jeffrey Deitch has finally broken his silence and spoken to the *Los Angeles Times* over the recent whitewashing of the Blu wall commissioned for the upcoming Art in the Streets exhibition, which will be the first major US museum show featuring street art.

He [explains](http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-1214-moca-mural-20101214,0,4436829.story?ref=hyperallergic.com):

> This is 100% about my effort to be a good, responsible, respectful neighbor in this historic community … Out of respect for someone who is suffering from lung cancer, you don’t sit in front of them and start chain smoking.

That sounds like a false parallel. Lung cancer and veterans? I think veterans are more sensitive to the abuse of soldiers in wars based on lies and a neocon agenda (i.e. the Iraq War) than anyone, so I don’t think this is a correct comparison. I would like to know why his staff couldn’t provide this statement? Does he not trust them? How about the other curators involved in the exhibition? Do they not agree? Is Deitch the only curator?

Blu mural controversy aside, I am more afraid of what street art blogger (Wooster Collective), curator, and collector, Marc Schiller suggested by tweet today:

@[RemiRough](http://twitter.com/RemiRough?ref=hyperallergic.com) If MOCA is just a US version of the Tate show (ie safe) it’ll be a HUGE mistake on Deitch’s part. cc/ @[scotinoz](http://twitter.com/scotinoz?ref=hyperallergic.com) @[hragv](http://twitter.com/hragv?ref=hyperallergic.com) @[vandalog](http://twitter.com/vandalog?ref=hyperallergic.com)[less than a minute ago](http://twitter.com/?ref=hyperallergic.com#!/MarcDSchiller/status/14465255094620160 "Mon Dec 13 23:42:40 +0000 2010") via web[![](http://a2.twimg.com/profile_images/52172850/anxiousff_normal.jpg)](http://twitter.com/MarcDSchiller?ref=hyperallergic.com)**[Marc Schiller](http://twitter.com/MarcDSchiller?ref=hyperallergic.com)**  
MarcDSchiller

If that’s the case then I’m afraid the MOCA show will be doomed and dull. Let’s hope it’s not. As one tweeter ([@VickiRaisens](http://twitter.com/VickiRaisens/statuses/14547495199703040?ref=hyperallergic.com)) suggested:

I am capable of curating my own life/thoughts..let me have a chance to love/hate/be moved/or not please..@[hragv](http://twitter.com/hragv?ref=hyperallergic.com) @[mocalosangeles](http://twitter.com/mocalosangeles?ref=hyperallergic.com)[less than a minute ago](http://twitter.com/?ref=hyperallergic.com#!/VickiRaisens/status/14547495199703040 "Tue Dec 14 05:09:27 +0000 2010") via web[![](http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/1097678923/hairlunch_117_normal.jpg)](http://twitter.com/VickiRaisens?ref=hyperallergic.com)**[Vicki Raisens](http://twitter.com/VickiRaisens?ref=hyperallergic.com)**  
VickiRaisens

In other words, isn’t art about me being able to decide what moves me and touches me? We no longer have that choice.