Provokative art provokes petition in Vernon

A petition has been launched in opposition to Vernon city council's decision to approve some controversial public art.

According to the Change.org petition the murals are expensive, ugly and likely to scare children. The petition also said the artists commissioned aren't local.

The city has committed $33,000 to the project, which will be an extension of Behind the Mask, an exhibit currently taking place at the Vernon Public Art Gallery.

READ MORE: Vernon council to spend $33,000 on scary public art

The murals are photographs of people wearing paper mache masks, and they come across as scary for some.

“We the citizens of Vernon ask you to involve the public in the decision to display the Behind the Mask murals by Katie Green on our public buildings,” reads the petition.

“There has been neither consultation nor even a chance for the public to comment on the murals. We are not asking for a referendum, but only that you use the same consultation process you have used in the past over large construction projects. The citizens of Vernon deserve a voice in changes like this in our city.”

The petition had more than 600 signatures at the time this article was published. 

To contact a reporter for this story, email Dan Walton or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.