Mural mayhem: Business owners, artists clash over graffiti-style artwork in Wilkes-Barre

Jun. 11—WILKES-BARRE — Business owners in the Rolling Mill Hill section of the city are upset by a mural at 93 Blackman St. depicting scenes and imagery from the "Terminator" film franchise. Meanwhile, a representative for the artists who painted the mural is firing back, defending their freedom of expression in the face of criticism.
The building — and, in turn, the mural — is on the corner of Blackman and Arch streets.
Much of the stir on social media and among the business owners surrounds the painted image of the villainous T-1000 filled with bullet holes on the building's Blackman Street side. The image depicts a famous scene from "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." In the film and the mural, the T-1000 wears a uniform that is reminiscent of a typical police uniform.
Laura Mudlock, funeral director and owner of Mamary-Durkin Funeral Home, was shocked when she saw the mural first being painted. She compared the finished product to something one might see in "the ghetto" or in the "not nice sections of New York."
"I do appreciate the talent of that artwork," Mudlock conceded, before adding, "It obviously is not something that I would choose to represent this area — this neighborhood. I see it as violent."
Mixed interpretations
The "ghetto" descriptor was also used by Amanda Crich, owner of neighboring business Crich Realty. She was critical of the piece in general, referring to it as an "eyesore," and questioned its artistic merit.
"I can't even say that I could appreciate the kind of work because it doesn't look like a finished job," Crich said.
Mudlock referenced her connections to local law enforcement as the reason for her disappointment in the mural's images.
In addition, Mudlock said that the children of the area — and even some adults — might not understand the "Terminator" imagery, and may therefore interpret the mural as something unrelated to the movie. Crich agreed, and said that others might use the graffiti-style mural as ill-conceived inspiration for other local buildings to be painted, but without the owner's consent.
According to Marie Cecile Flageul in a letter written on behalf of the more than a dozen artists who worked on the mural, the "Terminator" theme was approved by the owner of 93 Blackman Street in advance. The owner, according to Luzerne County's GIS mapping tool, is KBA Realty. The phone number on the building's exterior is no longer in service.
Amy Basham, a teacher of 30 years and real estate agent at Crich Realty, concurred that the mural is ripe for misinterpretation and said that the failure to commission a local artist or student to paint the mural was a missed opportunity. Furthermore, Basham is concerned that prospective property buyers might find the area less attractive because of the mural's style.
"[Businesses are] taking a look at — sometimes it's just a snapshot — and if they see anything like that [mural as] their first impression, that's it," said Basham. "You lose their interest, because they see graffiti. They don't see art. They see graffiti, and graffiti is an artwork. I'm not taking that away from it, but there are people — investors — they see an area like that, that particular corner, and they're walking away."
Crich said that the mural's imagery can also send the wrong messages to those looking to buy property in the nearby area, and that it is hard for a potential buyer to change their first impression of a building based on its exterior.
"For a family that's moving into a new home and a new neighborhood, that's not having their children look up to the right things," Crich said of the mural. "It's bringing violence. It's showing them that violence is okay."
Responding to the city
Though Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown stated to WBRE/ WYOU, the Times Leader's media partner, that the city cannot mandate the mural's removal, Crich suggested that the exact placement within the city's borders is a factor in the mayor's decision-making.
"If this was Downtown Wilkes-Barre, [Mayor Brown] would make sure something was done about it," Crich asserted.
Though the mural is located just blocks away from the Hanover Township border, Brown was just in saying that the city could not mandate the mural's creation or current form.
Flageul said in her letter that the building is not located in a historic district and is not a landmarked structure, meaning that the building owner's approval was all that was needed.
In response, Mudlock suggested that Wilkes-Barre could enact stricter mural ordinances, which she said should be aligned to those enacted in her hometown of Pittston. Mudlock said she will bring the specifics of Pittston's mural ordinances to the attention of Wilkes-Barre's city council at its meeting on Thursday night.
As far as the creative elements of local murals are concerned, Mudlock and Crich pointed to pieces in the area that explore and incorporate local history. By contrast, not even the building owner who commissioned the mural is a local, according to Mudlock.
"The owner lives in New York, so it's not like he even looks at it," said Mudlock. "They left; we have to look at it."
"Yeah, they don't care," Crich added.
Letter on behalf of the artists
In her letter on behalf of the mural's artists, Flageul claimed that the artists were the subject of "hostile verbal attacks" from the public, including "expletives and dismissive remarks." Flageul additionally took issue with comments made by business owners to the local media, including those made by Mudlock to WBRE/WYOU, in which she stated, "I feel like I live in the ghetto."
"These are not only unfounded interpretations but also border on profiling and classist overreach," Flageul said in her letter.
Basham denied the notion of the business owners' criticisms being "classist," though she understands the social dynamics in this case are complicated.
"I'm a white female, and I have that privilege. But I'm also a white female who has had a life that has exposed me to all manner of different types of people. So I would have a conversation with that person," said Basham, referring to Flageul.
Near the end of her letter, Flageul said she would be willing to travel to a future city council meeting to testify on behalf of the artists.
"Despite the controversy, many community members have expressed gratitude and enthusiasm for the mural," Flageul wrote. "Others may disagree with its style or message, but that diversity of opinion is precisely what art exists to provoke — ideally through respectful dialogue."
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