Restoration of Historic Duke Ellington Mural Underway
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com
If you’ve noticed a blank space at 1200 U Street NW, you are not alone.
This past week, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) removed the iconic G. Byron Peck mural of Duke Ellington on the True Reformer building.
U Street's Duke Ellington Mural being restored. (Luis Gomez Photos)
The artwork, originally installed in 1997 and then moved to its current location in 2004, is painted on cement panels. Over the years, these panels have worn down from elemental decay – a condition DCCAH and ARTEX are currently working to resolve.
“The Duke Ellington mural is an iconic artwork in Washington,” said Lionell Thomas, executive director at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. “Over the years, this mural has become a symbol for the U Street community. We are working diligently to insure that the mural is returned to the community in its original condition.”
The restoration project is expected to take about one year.
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