After a mural of Eminem in Detroit was defaced within a day of it being finished, the artist responsible for the initial painting says he’s disappointed but still plans to fix it.
“Only one day after it’s [sic] completion, some idiot in Detroit already defaced the new M mural,” artist Chris Devins wrote in an Instagram post about the mural, which is now branded with several small bird head sketches. “You can’t give some people anything good. Dumb. 🤣 I can probably fix it but dam...”
While speaking with The Detroit News, Devins explained how disheartening it was to see his work ruined so quickly, but that he also still felt inspired to fix it.
“I was devastated,” he said. “Who would do that? That’s against the rules of street art. I want to restore it to its original value. I would like to re-present it to the community in its unblemished form. It was a great wall. It looked like it was going to sit there for a second, so I thought it could use some beautification. It really enhances that wall. To me, it’s totally appropriate. I wanted to do him looking young and fresh. I didn’t put up anything ugly.”
Devins also said that his Eminem mural was meant to be a centerpiece for the community.
“There was time and effort spent to make sure it was something people would want, and to make it relatable to the community. It’s not just usual tagging.”
