Community Restores Vandalized Mural in Chinatown Park
CHICAGO (CBS)--Artists spent months creating a beautiful mural in a Chinatown park, only to have it defaced by vandals who covered it in graffiti last weekend.
The community had strongly embraced the mural, which brought life to a dull underpass wall.
Artist Chester Chow is part of a group of artists working on the mural.
"It was delightful--they said it was beautiful," Chow said while talking with CBS 2's Vince Gerasole on Wednesday.
That's why it was so disparaging for the mural's supporters when silver spray painted letters spelling out the name of a murdered rap artist were found covering the bright paintings.
The graffiti turned out to be no match for Chinatown's love for the mural, however, which was still unfinished when it was defaced.
When locals heard about the graffiti at Ping Tom Memorial Park, they immediately banded together to raise money for restoration supplies via a GoFundMe fundraiser.
It was only a few days before the mural's beautiful blue chinese-inspired florals back were restored to their original glory.
"It's our first tagger," Chow said.
The community has so far contributed about $2,400 to the GoFundMe account, Chow said.
Today there's no trace of the graffiti on the underpass wall, where the painted flowers have taken root with those passing by.