Muralist Says He Won't Pay $12K Demanded By Michelle Obama Portrait Artist, Mulls Removing It

By Stephen Gossett in News on May 3, 2017 9:12PM

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The artist behind the design of Michelle Obama as an Egyptian queen is threatening to sue the muralist who used it initially without attribution—and caused a firestorm of controversy in the process. Meanwhile, the muralist says he's been kicking around the idea of removing or painting over the publicly displayed piece.

As first reported by Andrea V. Watson in DNAinfo, artist Gelila Mesfin has sent a letter to muralist Chris Devins asking for $12,000 in compensation, a public apology, a plaque that identifies Mesfin as the artist, and other damages. If Devins isn't willing to meet the terms, Mesfin is willing to sue. The letter gave a 7 p.m., Wednesday deadline for agreement, DNA reports.

Devins confirmed to Chicagoist that he received a letter requesting that figure, but he said he doesn't intend to pay the sum. "There's no $12,000 to give her," he told Chicaogist. He said that the majority of the funds he raised (more than $11,000 total) has already been spent on research, production and fees. He said he was willing to give whatever remains as a licensing fee, although he wasn't clear about that specific figure. Mesfin did not immediately return Chicagoist's request for comment.

"Absolutely she should get some kind of negotiated licensing fee," Devins said. "It wasn’t necessary to do it through an attorney. But do I believe that she deserves some money for her design? Of course I do." Still, Devins was cagey about what he was willing to compensate. He referred to the DNA article, which in turns refers to Devins' previous comments that imply a spectrum anywhere between $12 and $1000.

Devins said his ideal resolution would also involve the requested plaque. "I invite [Mesfin] here to Chicago, where we can do a mural dedication and put the plaque up. That would to me be the best outcome," he said.

At the same time, the furor—which has been covered everywhere from CNN to the New York Times—apparently has Devins considering chucking the mural altogether. "It may get to a point, I might have to remove this. I said that to myself last week. I'm gonna just have to get up there and paint over it, you know? It looks like it's becoming a symbol of contention." Devins didn't elaborate as to how such a decision might affect his standing in terms of the GoFundMe campaign.

Devins told Chicagoist his intent for the mural was "to inspire the young ladies of the South Side of Chicago." But when he failed to attribute Mesfin—an Ethiopian-born, Rhode Island-based artist—either in the crowdfunding campaign or in initial coverage of the mural's unveiling, in the South Shore neighborhood where the former First Lady was raised, the backlash was swift and furious.

Devins later called his handling of the situation "sloppy" and said he had offered Mesfin a licensing fee—although he defended the overall project in terms of urban planning, placemaking and "remix culture." He told Chicagoist that he thought some coverage of the flap failed to show the context and intent of his practice, which received much positive press prior to the controversy.

Among critics, Chicago writer Britt Julious captured the sense of exploitation well, in writing for the New York Times:

"Mr. Devins not only stole from the original artist. He also, in a sense, exploited the image of a black woman: Michelle Obama.

The story of Ms. Mesfin’s image is a story of the labor of black women. Work, largely for other people, is inherent to black women’s existence. Our lives are fueled by effort: the effort to rise above, the effort to get ahead and the effort to gain respect."