Arts Commission opposes deaccession but acknowledges Crosswalk on the Lake will likely be removed

The Arts in Public Places (AIPP) panel and the Arts Commission debated whether to formally deaccession Crosswalk on the Lake after Texas Department of Transportation guidance required removal of certain street-based murals.

Jaime Castillo, AIPP manager, reminded the commission that TxDOT's denial of the city's exemption request followed a statewide directive to remove street artwork that does not comply with roadway design standards. Castillo said the City's Transportation and Public Works crews have been removing other street murals and that Crosswalk on the Lake is the only street mural in the city's public-art collection that remained.

At a special AIPP meeting the prior month the deaccession jury recommended not to remove the work from the collection because the panel concluded that externally driven political pressure did not meet the program's deaccession criteria (which focus on condition, artistic integrity, and ownership). The Arts Commission discussed the legal and practical consequences of both choices: removing the work from the collection before it is painted over would allow the city to attempt preservation or transfer; keeping it in the collection would record the commission's opposition to politically motivated destruction but may appear inconsistent if the mural is nonetheless painted over.

The commission voted to forward a recommendation to city council stating that deaccession did not align with the AIPP deaccession policy and asked that the panel's rationale be attached to the council backup. Commissioners acknowledged, however, that the work would likely be removed to comply with the state directive. Staff said council can act independently and that the commission's recommendation and the AIPP panel's letter will be included in the council packet.

The vote was unanimous among commissioners present; the staff will transmit the commission's recommendation and the panel's rationale to city council, which will consider the matter at a forthcoming meeting. If council approves removal, Transportation and Public Works crews will carry out paint-over actions as previously performed on other murals.