WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— A mural in Wilkes-Barre has been the cause of controversy since it was put up nearly two weeks ago. One of the artists who painted it, is now responding.
28/22 News Reporter Avery Nape met with the artist Thursday afternoon.
Just last weekend we spoke with residents who criticized the artwork. Now one of the artists is responding.
PHOTOS: Wilkes-Barre mural causes controversy
"If the community wants to see artwork, and they want to see butterflies and kittens, and whatever pleases them, then it's a whole different approach," said Marie Flageul, Executive Producer, Superbien.
Neighbors were vocal about their distaste for the mural spanning down parts of Blackman and Arch Streets in the Rolling Mill Hill Section of Wilkes-Barre.
The main issue, what some residents like Linda Joseph and Laura Mudlock called 'disturbing, disrespecting authority, and calling for violence against police.'
"There is a police officer on the right side, extreme right of the building, with what appears to be holes bullet holes," said Linda Joseph, President, Rolling Mill Hill Resident Association.
"This says 'I will not respect authority in any way, shape, or form," added Laura Mudlock, Owner/Funeral Director, Mamary-Durkin Funeral & Cremation Services.
Claims that one of the artists says are just not true.
"It's no message to go after cops or anything, it's a scene, a visual scene, that was one of the most iconic scenes of the movie," explained Jonathan "Meresone" CohenArtist, Brooklyn, New York.
Jonathan Cohen has been doing street art since 1987.
While some may associate the art style with vandalism and unruly school-kids, Cohen is a professional.
He's done commissioned work for major brands like Louis Vuitton and even a piece at La Guardia Airport.
While the artist is no stranger to the spotlight, he and his colleague Marie Flageul say they've never gotten a community response like this before.
"We've never experienced such aggressive and judgmental response," said Flaguel.
Now, community members say they would have liked some input as to what kind of art goes up in their neighborhood but Cohen and Flageul say that's on the owner of the building, and while they don't plan on removing the work, another artist has planned to make some additions to the mural to provide some context to the scenes depicted.
