The College of the Canyons is home to all kinds of art, which is fitting because it offers art classes in Mentry Hall. But what happens when art leaves the pinboard and becomes part of the building?
“The college is aware of the artwork and drawings in messages in the Mentry Hall stairwell. They popped up, I want to say last spring… So we’re aware of it and continue to keep an eye on it.” Said Eric Harnish, College of the Canyons VP of Public Relations.
It used to be tiny squiggles, but over time it started swallowing up part of the stairwell on the third floor of Mentry Hall. These are not standard drawings of blurred lines; some have seen it as vandalism.
“Graffiti is often harassment in many cases because it’s using derogatory terms to single out certain individuals or groups of people.”, said Harnish.
“It should be allowed to stay and grow,” said Austin Taylor-Uku, a College of the Canyons student.
“There are plenty of other colleges that have a similar vibe…even if we can get a little slice of heaven like that, we might say leave it,” said Taylor-Uku.
For now, the campus administration faces a decision – let sleeping dogs lie or draw a line in the sand over what should remain on the pin boards and not on walls.
