Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport has covered up a massive mural on display since 1989, when it was presented as a gift from the city of Leningrad (now known as St. Petersburg) during the Cold War. The mural was covered over the weekend amid widespread anti-Russian sentiment since the nation invaded Ukraine late last month.
A spokesman for Mitchell International Airport, however, claims the timing is largely coincidental.
"The artwork has been on public view here at the airport for more than 30 years," airport spokesman Harold Mester explained in an email. "The piece has faced wear and tear over the years, and it has been damaged by travelers. It is fragile, deteriorating and crumbling. We have repaired it over time, but it is susceptible to further damage. It’s a very large piece (approximately 35’ wide by 10’ tall) and could become a safety issue if it collapses and hurts someone. Given its age and condition, we are exploring other options for the space and hope to announce details soon."
Multiple airport employees contacted "The Dan O'Donnell Show" to express their incredulity: None could recall a single concern about the mural collapsing in the decades they had worked there.
The mural was presented as "a gift from the People of Leningrad to the People of Milwaukee" and created "July 30, 1989, [in] Leningrad, USSR," a plaque accompanying the piece reads. "The Milwaukee mural, a gift from the People of Milwaukee to the People of Leningrad, is located at the Port Leningrad Hotel" and created on "June 11, 1989, [in] Milwaukee, USA."
"Over 5,000 people came together to mix eight tons of clay for the creation of [the] ceramic mural," artist Joel Pfeiffer explained on his website. "The theme was 'Clay: A Healing Way,' impressions of peace and friendship. In August of 1989 a group of 30, including Milwaukee's PBS film crew, flew our mural to Leningrad, Russia."
"We have been told the art was destroyed when the hotel was demolished," Mester said.
While he would not acknowledge that the timing of the airport's move to cover up the mural suggests that it was done as a way to virtue signal the airport's opposition to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Mester did concede that one reason for the decision was a concern about potential vandalism.
"We have received negative feedback regarding this art installation over the years," he said. "The piece shows an upside-down U.S. Flag. Many travelers, including U.S. military servicemembers, found this disturbing. Given recent current events, we continue to receive questions and criticism about honoring Russia in the airport, even though the display promotes peace. We are concerned about further damage or vandalism."
Mester claims that Mitchell International has over the past two years reached out to "dozens of organizations to see if they would be interested in acquiring this piece for display within their organizations, but no one has been interested."
He added that if anyone has any interest in acquiring the mural, the airport "would be happy to donate it."