Dear Mike Mechau: We need to be able to admit that sometimes, painter did atrocious things too.

Around 1962, the US Post Office where Frank Mechau's mural had hung for more than a quarter century, was being remodeled. They were boxed up, and they might have been forgotten if it wasn't for Mechau's wife who, in 1970, went to a government employee and asked about saving her husband's canvas murals that were dirty, frayed and with holes and slashes. The General Services Administration (GSA) spent time locating, cataloging and sometimes transporting all of the lost art that had been commissioned over the years - mostly 1933 to 1943.

1967, May 7  Denton Record Chronicle 

"Dangers of the Mail" was moved to Colorado Springs.

Several years passed, and a new Environmental Protection Agency headquarters was being built in DC, and some of these old murals were brought in to cover the walls.

Shortly after employees moved into the new EPA building, in the Federal Triangle, a Native American from the Blackfeet Nation in Montanta was "flabbergaster" with the depiction of the violent mural, "Dangers of the Mail."  Nearly 50 Native American EPA employees were in that building. The painting was completely inappropriate. A complaint was made.

2000, Dec 3   Florida Today 

"It portrays Indians as cowardly. It's an insult," said Myrna Mooney. "When you come from the reservation, these kinds of images make you physically ill."

But Mechau has supporters, who believed that removing the murals is censorship, and others believe it's a piece of history, and should remain hanging, but include notes and cards to educate the public. The GSA believe the murals are an important part of the buildings history and remain on public display. Native Americans say it perpetuates stereotypes, tells only one side of history, and showcases Natives as enemies, and white people (especially women) in a heroic perspective.

"Delivering the mail was symbolic of democracy and the growth of the young nation and bringing communities together," said Tony Costa, GSA's head of public buildings for the National Capital Region. "So anything that would impose that was a grave threat."

Think about what he said. What is this a symbol of?? How does this particular painting represent the growth of a nation - and bringing communities together. What communities?

2000, Dec 3   Florida Today 

All of this begs the question -- should a racist, one-sided, inaccurate mural that's presented as though it is historical fact -- be allowed to hang on a government wall? 

Even if it was accurate, and there were naked women hanging out together out on the prairie and a group of savages "roughly handled" their scalp -- should it be displayed in a government building?

August of 2006, the issue was again in the papers. The Arizona Republic (Aug 13, 2006) ran the headline "EPA murals spark censorship debate" with the opening sentence, "A quarrel over public art has been simmering for a decade inside, of all places, the Environmental Protection Agency."

So, 6 years after the American Indians inside the EPA building witnessed an inaccurate painting, of a fictional account, that's presented as historical fact -- this government agency still holds tight to that racist mural and, basically, creates a hostile work environment. (In my opinion.)

Washington lawyer, Choctaw, said "When you have very few Native American employees, it makes people less sensitive to it."

Art lovers, though, felt it was censorship and should stay up. Kay Wisnia, art curator for Western history at the Denver Public Library, said: "It's a part of the heritage of the country." 

2006, Aug 13  Arizona Republic 

My question to her is - what heritage? Painters who create fictional, racist paintings that was criticized from the moment it was hung?

General Services Administration (who is basically the EPA's landlord) said, through a spokesman who declined to be named: "We have to balance respect for historic art and respect for sensitivity to art that depicts people in a bad light."

I wonder, if this spokesman for this agency, would of had a better time of it had GSA known the real history behind this piece - and that the ONLY historical value it holds is that of a controversial painter who wrongfully created a make-believe event because he liked the way it flowed across the wall.

And, of course, the artists son, Mike Mechau, chimed in... saying "Removal of historic public art on grounds of political correctness will set a very bad precedent."

But I see it another way - it's an act of HISTORICAL CORRECTNESS and that sets a wonderful and valuable precedent. 

2006, Aug 13  Arizona Republic 

So, for a while, this painting remained, but barely hidden:

Frank Mechau's lie of a painting is rightfully hidden from public view 

Yep... it's back there. Nothing to see folks.
Only in Washington.

"“I don’t think it’s bad for us at all to be mindful of some of the history of relations with these people,.” Mike Mechau commented. “We should be informed of the many trials and tribulations and even, in some cases, atrocities that they fell victim to. And at the same time, we need to be able to admit that they also, perhaps understandably, did savage and atrocious things, too.” (Source Washingtoncitypaper.com) 

Again, Mike, this was a fictional painting. What we need to be talking about it how your dad was supposed to paint a mural about the Pony Express, and instead he created this crazy, purely fictional event, that actually upset and offended Native people when it was hung in the post office all those years ago. And he was called out on it. THAT'S what we need to discuss. The lies.

So where is the painting now? According to a list on Wikipedia, it's at the William Jefferson Clinton Federal Building. I'm not sure if it's displayed or hidden.. very little has been written about this piece after 2006. If you know where it is and if it's public - please let me know. I'd love to know what happened to it.

2000, Dec 3  Florida Today