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<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://www.lagunabeachindy.com/wells-fargo-orders-removal-of-controversial-quilt-display-from-laguna-beach-branch/">lagunabeachindy.com</a>
<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Wells Fargo orders removal of ‘controversial’ quilt display from Laguna Beach branch</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Daniel Langhorne - January 27, 2022<br></div>
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<img src="https://www.lagunabeachindy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Pieceful-protest-1-450x600.jpg" alt="" style="margin-right: 0px;" width="294" height="392">A
quilt from Allyson Allen’s “Piece-ful Protest” exhibition was removed
from Wells Fargo in Laguna Beach on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Faye
Baglin/ Community Art Project
<p>A temporary gallery of quilts was removed within days of being
installed inside the Wells Fargo branch in Laguna Beach after customers
objected to its political messages, the artist said Wednesday.</p>
<p>Textile artist Allyson Allen was notified of the removal by a member
of the Community Art Project who coordinated the rotating exhibit
entitled “Piece-ful Protest” at 260 Ocean Ave.</p>
<p>“She was told by the bank manager that after customer complaints of
the exhibit being too controversial for the bank public gallery, the
request was sent from Wells Fargo corporate,” Allen wrote in an email.
“Truly disappointing that a progressive art community like Laguna would
still be controlled by the small-minded minority of individuals who
cannot accept an art installation as art.</p>
<p>Among the 36 quilts is one that shows a Black man with “Enough!”
above his head. Another is emblazoned with “Don’t let hate go viral.” A
third has a clenched rainbow fist below “Pride – Love is Love.”</p>
<p>The exhibit was installed Jan. 20<span> </span>and scheduled to run
through April 22, concluding with an artist reception on that day. The
quilts were immediately removed after the bank’s request came down
Wednesday.</p>
<p>A portion of the exhibit will be displayed at the Laguna Beach Arts Alliance’s annual Art Stars Gala on April 24.</p>
<p>“Wells Fargo is committed to and invested in the Laguna Beach
community – our support of the Community Art Project program is a
reflection of that commitment. We’re equally committed to ensuring a
culture and customer experience that welcomes all,” a Wells Fargo
corporate spokesperson said in a prepared statement Thursday.</p>
<p>A former high school English and Special Education teacher, Allen has
also taught quilting, doll making, and altered book art for 30 years,
according to her website. She’s a multiple California Arts Council grant
award recipient and twice nominated for the National Endowments for the
Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship.</p>
<p>Allen won the Laguna Beach Arts Alliance’s 7° of Inspiration Grant
for this body of work in 2019, said Faye Baglin, treasurer for the
Community Art Project (CAP). Although CAP is very disappointed with
Wells Fargo’s decision it has to respect the company’s decision to
preserve a partnership and use of their gallery space.</p>
<p>“CAP was privileged to be able to display it even for a few days. In
my personal view, art should make us think and possibly see the world
from a different perspective. It’s sad that at least one or more
customers disagreed,” Baglin said.</p>
<p>“It’s especially sad when the arts community embraced this talented artist,” she added.</p>
<p>A local Wells Fargo official was informed of the quilts’ content and
signed off on their installation ahead of time, Baglin said. The
Independent received calls from three Laguna Beach residents who were
disappointed with the bank’s decision to remove the art.</p>
<p>The mishap surrounding the quilts lands at an awkward time for Laguna
Beach. On Jan. 11, the City Council proclaimed February 2022 as Ethnic
Diversity and Black History Month to celebrate ethnic diversity within
the community.</p>
<p>Laguna Beach cannot allow the kinds of negative forces that prompted
the removal of the thought-provoking quilts to gain steam in the
community, Laguna Beach resident Rebecca Washington-Lindsey said.</p>
<p>“No community can move forward in unity and in just treatment with
these wrong perceptions. Those negative perceptions are killers. They
don’t do anything for ethnic harmony,” she said.</p>
<p>Sally Sanders, a Black Lives Matter activist and 20-year resident of
Laguna Beach, has lobbied city council members to intervene and see the
quilts put back. It’s depressing that a handful of prejudiced people
could have an outsized impact in a historically progressive town, she
said.</p>
<p>“This is kind of a trend that Laguna Beach is not what it used to be.
Now it’s starting to lean toward the full right with racism and
commercialism. I’ll protest outside that bank if I have to,” Sanders
said.</p>
<img src="https://www.lagunabeachindy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Pieceful-protest-2-450x600.jpeg" alt="" style="margin-right: 0px;" width="294" height="392">A
quilt from Allyson Allen’s “Piece-ful Protest” exhibition was removed
from Wells Fargo in Laguna Beach on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Faye
Baglin/ Community Art Project
<img src="https://www.lagunabeachindy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Pieceful-protest-3-600x450.jpg" alt="" style="margin-right: 25px;" width="392" height="294">A
quilt from Allyson Allen’s “Piece-ful Protest” exhibition was removed
from Wells Fargo in Laguna Beach on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Faye
Baglin/ Community Art Project
<img src="https://www.lagunabeachindy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Pieceful-protest-4-450x600.jpeg" alt="" style="margin-right: 0px;" width="294" height="392">A
quilt from Allyson Allen’s “Piece-ful Protest” exhibition was removed
from Wells Fargo in Laguna Beach on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Faye
Baglin/ Community Art Project
<img src="https://www.lagunabeachindy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Pieceful-protest-600x450.jpeg" alt="" style="margin-right: 25px;" width="392" height="294">A
quilt from Allyson Allen’s “Piece-ful Protest” exhibition was removed
from Wells Fargo in Laguna Beach on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Faye
Baglin/ Community Art Project
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