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A Casablanca large-scale mural by Italian street artist Francesco Camillo Giorgino, also known as Millo, was removed on Thursday. The decision fell like a bombshell on street art aficionados. Internet users on «Save Casablanca», a Facebook group on the city’s heritage, criticized the removal of Millo’s graffiti.
«Today, one of the biggest graffiti drawings in Casablanca has been erased without any justification, just one year after its creation, while the number of advertisements is increasing», denounced an internet user.
Another Casablanca woman denounced the decision, explaining that «the mural has barely celebrated its first year and they have already decided to kill it». «Why erase this painting? What little art we have in this city you want to replace with a banner ?», another internet user commented.
«Another work of art that is disappearing in Casablanca. What is wrong with you?», wrote Salah Malouli, artistic director of Sbagha Bagha festival, a yearly graffiti festival, on his Facebook page. Contacted by Yabiladi, he said that did not know the reasons behind this decision. «The owner has decided to erase it and we respect their wishes», he added.
«It's a shame for the city, the festival and the lovers of this type of art, but there is nothing we can do except respect the owners' choice.We are already grateful to them for letting us paint these on the back of their buildings.But it's a shame that this is the second work by the same artist to be erased».
For his part, Mohamed Jouahri, general manager of Casablanca Events & Animation, the local development company (SDL) responsible for promoting Casablanca through economic, cultural and sporting events is also unhappy about the decision. «We do not yet have any explanations from the trustee of said building but the graffiti was probably erased to use the facade for advertisement purposes, unfortunately», he regretted.
Preserving street art
The person in charge explains that «artists start to paint only after obtaining the agreement of the the inhabitants of the building». «Perhaps we will now go through contractual commitments of the trustees so that these works of street art are not erased or painted over», he added.
«It's the first time it's happened this way.From now on, we will give the trustees a commitment of two or three years so that these murals remain untouched».
The artistic director of the Sbagha Bagha festival indicated that the owners will be asked to commit to «keep the work for as long as possible». «But it's on a case-by-case basis», he added. «I find that negotiations and a pedagogical approach would be more effective in this context», said Salah Malouli.
In order to preserve other murals, he hoped that «that the number of advertisement banners decrease in the city, and thus reduce the visual pollution that this causes».
«We must ensure that people understand and accept the presence of street art, its importance and its positive impact on cities and citizens», he insisted, recalling that this art «can transform the visual identity of a town». «We are working so hard to make a wall with everything it supposes in terms of effort and money, so seeing it disappear hurts us a lot,» he concluded.
Yesterday, the Italian artist Francesco Camillo Giorgino expressed his disappointment on his Facebook page, posting a photo of his mural covered by strokes of gray paint rollers.
