A mural in Providence, Rhode Island, honoring the memory of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was tragically killed, has been removed.
The artwork, which adorned the exterior of a building home to the Dark Lady, a well-known gay bar, was taken down following persistent requests from Providence Mayor Brett Smiley and other local officials. Their concerns centered around the fact that the mural’s funding was provided by tech billionaire Elon Musk and controversial figure Andrew Tate.
“The murder of the individual depicted in this mural was a devastating tragedy,” Mayor Smiley stated. “However, the divisive intent behind projects like these, funded by individuals such as Musk and Tate, is concerning. I urge our community to back local artists who create work that unites rather than divides us.”
The involvement of Musk and Tate came after Intercom CEO Eoghan McCabe announced in September on the social media platform X, that he was offering $500,000 in grants to create murals of Zarutska in major cities across the United States.
On Tuesday afternoon, construction crews were observed dismantling the mural. The artwork was carefully removed, rolled up, and transported, with the intention of relocating it to a different venue.
On Tuesday afternoon, construction crews were seen taking down the mural. It was then lowered to the ground, rolled up and taken away to be put up somewhere else.
‘Having the mural come down is definitely a sad moment. We wanted it to have a home downtown Providence,’ mural artist Ian Gaudreau told WJAR-TV.
‘I believe it should have stayed up,’ one resident said. ‘I had no problem with the mural. I thought it was beautiful.’
Pictured: Workers take down Iryna Zarutska mural. It had been up on the side of the building housing gay bar the Dark Lady
Mayor Brett Smiley and others had complained that the mural was funded by Elon Musk and Andrew Tate
An artist fund devoted to creating murals to honor slain Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska (pictured) had received hefty donations from Musk and others
Gaudreau said he wished that people could have separated the artwork from its funding source.
‘I think a lot of people are not even taking the time to look at the art and think about what it might mean,’ he said.
A representative for Gaudreau said he is preparing to reinstall the mural elsewhere. The precise location is not known yet.
Zarutska, 23, was riding the train in Charlotte, North Carolina when a crazed attacker snuck up on her from behind and stabbed her to death on August 22.
The refugee who fled her war-torn home in 2022 bled to death with fear in her eyes as onlookers did nothing to intervene.
Prosecutors identified the cold-blooded culprit as career criminal Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, who blamed his despicably violent actions to a schizophrenic episode.
In the weeks following Zarutska’s gut-wrenching death, prominent – and controversial – individuals have offered financial backing for art pieces in her memory.
Zarutska was on her way home from work at Zepeddie’s pizzeria in south Charlotte when she was stabbed three times in her neck and hands.
Artist Ian Gaudreau said that it was a shame to see the mural politicized, which went against his intentions
Musk pledged to commit money after Intercom CEO Eoghan McCabe declared on X in September that he was ‘offering $500k in $10k grants to paint murals of the face of Iryna Zarutska in prominent US city locations’
Horrific footage captured the moment Ukrainian refugee Zarutska (pictured) was stabbed to death from behind as she sat on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22
She was not even on the train for five minutes before she was killed.
Zepeddie’s posted a tribute to the devoted worker, writing: ‘We lost not only an incredible employee, but a true friend.
‘Our dear Iryna left this world far too soon, and our hearts are heavy with grief.
‘Since her passing, we have kept a candle burning in her memory – a small reminder of the warmth, kindness, and light she brought into our lives every single day.’
In her obituary, family said that before starting her new life in the US, Iryna graduated from Synergy College in Kyiv with a degree in Art and Restoration.
She was described as an adventurous young woman who adored animals and traveling.
‘She shared her creativity generously, gifting family and friends with her artwork,’ they said.
