Fans of the Buddy Holly crosswalk in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas, with a painted depiction of the rock and roll legend's iconic glasses, will soon have to say goodbye to it. That'll be a day that will possibly make them cry. Lubbock City Council members said this week they have no choice but to remove it, to comply with a directive from the Trump administration and Republicans to rid the public roadways of any political messages or artwork.
A 15-month-long controversy over the possible removal of the brutalist Vaillancourt Fountain is over for now, as the SF Arts Commission just voted 8-5 to take it down, though they say it will be put into storage and it could possibly be rebuilt. It created some waves July 2024 when SF city officials presented a proposed redesign for the Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park and that design did not include the Vaillancourt Fountain that's been there since 1971.
A rainbow crosswalk and a street mural declaring "Black Artists Matter" in Austin, Texas, are in danger of being removed after the state's governor Greg Abbott ordered the Texan transportation department to enforce a directive from President Donald Trump to remove political and artistic road murals. Critics say the governor and the president are using roadway safety regulations to target art expressing support for LGBTQ+ and anti-racism causes as the Trump administration continues its suppression of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.