United States

Mural of Marines in Deep Ellum Will Return

The Green Room announced on Monday that a mural of U.S. Marines that was painted over last week in Deep Ellum will be repainted by the original artist.

Westdale Asset Management officials said they made an error in judgment when they covered up the mural last week.

The company's president reached out to one of the artists of the mural, located outside the Green Room, and offered to pay to replace the work.

"This is our way of communicating, our way of expressing ourselves," one of the artists, Preston Pannek, said Friday.

The Green Room posted on Facebook on monday that Pannek accepted the companies apology and will work to repaint the mural.

Friday Pannek felt like a piece of that story was erased when the mural he worked tirelessly to paint on a wall outside the Green Room was covered up with black paint.

Neighborhood residents and artists were outraged.

"I was pretty upset, really hurt," Pannek said. "I know the neighborhood's really hurt. I just don't understand why."

In a statement to NBC 5 management at the Green Room said they were not responsible for the decision.

"The Green Room was as shocked as everyone else when the mural was painted over. The Green Room had no say, nor involved in the mural being painted over. The Green Room’s landlord painted over the mural and the Green Room was not notified. As angry as the Green Room is about the mural being painted over, they have to abide by the decisions their landlord makes management was not responsible for the decision," the statement read.

The building is owned by Westdale. Pannek called Friday to find out why it was covered and said he spoke with a the property manager.

"Right off the bat he was extremely rude and said 'It's gone. There is nothing I can do about it,'" said Pannek.

The mural depicted a group of U.S. Marines in Desert Storm. The group is standing in a circle with a large American flag in the background watching a soldier break dance.

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