Paintover of memorial mural in Broad Ripple stuns arts community

A 15-year-old mural paying tribute to late Indianapolis photographer and DJ Mpozi Mshale Tolbert was covered in white paint Monday at 6308 Guilford Ave. (IBJ photo/Dave Lindquist)

Jordan Dillon, executive director of the Broad Ripple Village Association, expressed surprise and disappointment after a mural paying tribute to late photojournalist and reggae DJ Mpozi Mshale Tolbert was covered in white paint Monday.

The mural stretching 59 feet across the northern exterior of Lava Lounge, 6308 Guilford Ave., celebrated the life of Tolbert, who grew up in Philadelphia and moved to Indianapolis in 1998 to work for The Indianapolis Star. He died in 2006 at age 34. A heart problem known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia was cited in Tolbert’s death.

Two years later, building owner Steve Ross authorized the painted memorial by artist Ben Long in collaboration with other Indianapolis muralists. Ross had operated The Patio music venue at 6308 Guilford Ave. until 2005, and that business was followed by Spin Nightclub. By 2020, Omar Barham owned the building and operated Lava’s hookah lounge and restaurant. Barham endorsed a visual “remix” of the Tolbert mural that year, and multi-colored graphic design elements were added to the front of Lava along Guilford Avenue.

On Monday, the depiction of Tolbert present in the alley for 15 years was completely covered in a matter of hours. One worker with a spray gun applied white paint on the wall, observers reported.

BRVA leader Dillon said she met with the building’s present owner, Will Edwards, in May to talk about his plans to alter the business model at Lava. Edwards discussed his interest in rebranding the business and pursuing a new exterior design.

“Obviously, the question of the mural came up,” Dillon said. “We talked about the history and the importance behind the mural. We left that meeting being told that they had no plans to do anything to change the mural and they were going to keep it up as is. That was the last conversation we had about it. So we were as surprised as anyone when overnight, seemingly, it was completely covered.”

Westfield resident Edwards owns Lava and the building. Dillon and artist Mike Graves—one of the organizers of the mural when it was painted in 2008—said Edwards has the right to paint over the mural.

According to property records, Edwards purchased the 3,000-square-foot building for $1.325 million in August. Former building owner Barham died in December 2020, the same month that Ron “DJ Indiana Jones” Miner, a driving force in the mural’s installation, died.

Edwards also owns Havana Cigar Lounge in The Yard at Fishers District and Hovito Ultra Lounge, 234 S. Meridian St.

A manager at Havana Cigar Lounge told the IBJ that Edwards was not reachable for comment Monday night and throughout the day Tuesday.

On Monday night, a manager at Lava told IBJ he knew no details related to the painting over of the mural. The manager said Edwards was remodeling the interior and exterior of the building. Before the alley mural was painted over, Lava’s marquee sign came down and neutral colors replaced the orange, blue, green and purple accents on the building’s brick facade.

Dillon said a public announcement about the mural’s fate would have been helpful.

“It would have been considerate for the neighborhood and for the friends and family of Mpozi to give a little bit of notice,” she said. “People could come out, see the mural again, have their time with it and be able to have a little bit of closure. The part that’s jarring to many people is that no warning was given.”

On Tuesday, flowers and a Philadelphia 76ers basketball jersey similar to the one worn by Tolbert in the mural had been placed at the base of the newly blank wall.

The Indy Arts Council issued a statement Tuesday about the mural’s erasure.

“Public art is more than just a physical artwork—it reflects a community’s heritage and is an expression of the artist’s creativity and soul,” the statement began. “These sentiments are clear in the outpouring of grief over a property owner’s decision to unexpectedly remove the tribute mural in Broad Ripple of Mpozi Mishale Tolbert.

“For different reasons, public art is not always intended to be permanent. But it’s also not meant to be removed without a thoughtful process that considers the feelings of people who find meaning in the art, along with the rights of artists and property owners.”

The arts council offered guidelines for people creating and hosting public art, including:

• Create strong agreements that identify the relationship between the artist, the site owner and the community. Respective responsibilities should be defined.
• Define the intended lifespan of the artwork. When that time passes, all parties can evaluate the artwork’s condition and decide whether to remove the work, invest in maintaining it or replace it with a new artwork. In 2022, the arts council assessed Super Bowl murals that were intended to be displayed for 10 years.
• Clearly communicate any intent to remove a work of art and the reason behind it (for example, the meaning of the art has changed over time, the artwork is deteriorating or new construction is necessary). Involve the property owner, the artist and the immediate community in those discussions.

The Guilford Avenue location held significance in Tolbert’s life in Indianapolis. He photographed performers on the Patio’s closing night and he spun records across the street at The Casba, a subterranean nightclub where Miner hosted Sunday night reggae parties from 1997 until pandemic lockdown.

On July 3, 2006, the night of Tolbert’s death, he was scheduled to DJ a reggae party with Miner and Charles “Danger” Byfield up the street at The Red Room, 6335 Guilford Ave.

One mural depicting Tolbert continues to be displayed in the Fountain Square neighborhood near the intersection of Virginia Avenue and Prospect Street. Artist Graves designed the Fountain Square mural with Matt Lawrence, Justin Cooper and Shannon Kay Wilson.

Graves said it was difficult to understand the decision to paint over the Broad Ripple tribute to Tolbert, who photographed rap group the Roots and singer Jill Scott during the early days of their careers in Philadelphia.

“I understand the people who own that business may not know that guy,” Graves said. “But it’s obvious what that mural is. You don’t even ask around before you paint over it?”

A plaque accompanying the Fountain Square mural includes the following text about Tolbert:

“His altruistic nature and infectious laugh were always intact, whether he was helping those experiencing homelessness or comforting someone while on site as a photographer at a solemn crime scene. His positivity and generous nature should be celebrated.”

Graves said Tolbert’s legacy endures.

“The reason that everybody I know who ever met him remembers him to this day is because he was such a good person,” Graves said. “You couldn’t miss it.”