In the quaint town of Sylvester, a vibrant mural once adorned a downtown building, capturing the spirit of the community in colorful strokes. But dismay swept through the town when the mural suddenly vanished under a fresh coat of paint, leaving residents and the artist, Allison Kilcrease, reeling from its unexpected disappearance.
Lisa Davis, the building’s new owner, defended her decision, explaining the need for a fresh identity for the structure. Unaware of the mural’s significance, Davis expressed empathy for the community’s attachment to the artwork. Kilcrease, the mural’s creator, shared her sadness and surprise, having invested considerable time and affection in the project, showcasing her deep connection to the town.
Despite the initial misunderstanding, Kilcrease held no animosity and extended well wishes for Davis’s business endeavors. In response to community feedback, Davis pledged to commission another mural, recognizing the unforeseen impact of her decision. This incident underscored the vital importance of communication and shared appreciation for art in local communities, prompting reflections on the value of preserving cultural symbols while welcoming new identities.
In this situation, I see 3 victims. The first victim is the artist, Allison Kilcrease. Her hard work, dedication, thoughtfulness, and love of Sylvester were invested in the mural. She said so herself as she was completely heartbroken when she discovered the mural had been painted over.
The second victim is Lisa Davis, who innocently purchased a property without knowing anything about the supposed sentimental value of the mural. Lisa did what any business owner would do, give the building a distinct identity. All she received was hatred and vitriol from the “good” people of Sylvester and Worth County for doing so. Hatred that wasn’t warranted. Allison even said she holds no animosity toward Lisa.
And the third victim is some of the people of Sylvester and Worth County, now having been unmasked as the hateful and resentful people they seem too inherently be. Going after Lisa’s employees, threatening to throw bricks through office windows, review bombing Lisa’s business – these are acts of selfish people. That’s not to say all were negative against Lisa; she stated in our interview she’s had positive support from some.
At the end of the day, it’s an unfortunate situation that’s the direct result, in my humble opinion, of a lack of communication. Questions should have been asked on all sides. But there’s no blame, no fault, that can be laid upon ANYONE specifically.
It’s done; it can’t be undone. It’s time to move on and heal.
Listen to the Tifton Talks podcast where I interview Lisa Davis.