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Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Controversy over a mural at a Koreatown public school

The Los Angeles Unified School District received a complaint about a mural at the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools Complex in Koreatown. The mural features actress Ava Gardner in front of a red and blue sunburst pattern.

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By Madeleine Brand • Dec 17, 2018 • 1 min read

The Los Angeles Unified School District received a complaint about a mural at the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools Complex in Koreatown. The mural features actress Ava Gardner in front of a red and blue sunburst pattern. A Koreatown community group said the mural resembles the Japanese imperial flag from World War II -- an offensive association for Koreans. Brooklyn-based artist Beau Stanton defended his mural. LAUSD decided to remove the mural. Now fellow artist Shepard Fairey, who created the famous Barack Obama hope poster, has threatened to pull his mural at the RFK school if LAUSD goes forward with the plan.

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