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A Los Angeles gym owner is fighting to keep a mural dedicated toKobeandGianna Bryanton the wall of her establishment.
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Since receiving the request to remove the mural, Moran has spoken with several news outlets about the situation, including theLos Angeles Times.
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“It’s a piece of art that is honoring an iconic person,” she told the newspaper of the mural. She added that her landlord wants it removed to make way for advertising.
“I said I don’t believe it’s right,” the Hardcore Fitness owner explained. “That mural also benefits advertising and has a lot of meaning to the city and to Kobe fans. So I said I don’t agree. I don’t want to make the fans mad, and I don’t want to be disrespectful, and I don’t think that mural should be removed.”
Moran’s landlord said he would take measures to remove the mural himself and send her the bill if she does not do it, per theTimes.
Palsino, who painted the mural over three years ago, echoed Moran, telling the newspaper, “You gotta put some sense into it, man, and think about it and what it really means to L.A.”
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Though Moran did not seek her landlord’s permission for the painting, she told the newspaper that he was made aware of it before it was completed and did not raise any objections.
Moran, whose father had died in 2019, toldtheTimesthat she agreed to let Palsino paint the piece after she “fell in love with the idea of having [Kobe] looking after Gigi.”
“I feel that’s how my father was looking after me, so I said, ‘Yes, let’s do it,' " she added.
Palsino approached Moran about the mural soon after Kobe and Gianna’s death, and painted it for free. The gym owner put $2,500 toward supplies and equipment for the project.
“The community, when we did it, so many people from around the world came out and watched me do it,” Palsino told the newspaper, adding that the mural was “like a group effort.”
He continued, “There were people bringing me food, feeding me. It was awesome, man, just the energy that people were putting out there was just great. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I got to share that moment with everybody.”
AChange.org petitionasking Moran’s landlord to “reconsider their decision and keep this meaningful tribute intact” has garnered over 18,000 signatures as of Saturday afternoon.
“I’m reaching out to the members of the community, the Lakers, the mayor of L.A.,Vanessa Bryant, to all of those Lakers diehards to not leave me alone,” Moran toldKNBC. “I’m standing in the middle. I know I may get in trouble for raising my voice, but I’m going to stand up for what I believe.”
source: people.com
