Julie Mehretu's Goldman Sachs Mural Critiqued as Failed Public Art Commission

Julie Mehretu's mural created for Goldman Sachs in 2010, located at 200 West Street in Manhattan, has come under fire for its lack of effectiveness as public art, primarily due to security measures and limited visibility. Her exhibition titled "Grey Area" was showcased at the Guggenheim Museum from May 14 to October 6, 2010. The piece discusses the failures of historical public art while highlighting successful examples like Maya Lin's Vietnam Memorial and Roy Lichtenstein's mural. A quote misattributed to Mao Zedong, "Women hold up half the sky," is featured at Goldman Sachs. Despite the bank's controversial image, Mehretu perceives it as part of a broader system, with the mural's visibility issues reflecting the influence of private power on public art.