Artwork (paintings, drawings, or sculptures) is an integral part of student culture in many MIT living groups. The Chancellor’s Office charged the 2018-2019 Undergraduate Housing Working Group to develop principles and best practices for the creation and curation of artwork in ways that do not involve art directly applied to permanent building surfaces. This East Campus policy adheres to the principles of the working group recommendations while tailoring the implementation to East Campus’s unique community and building systems.
Artwork Proposals
Residents wishing to create a new mural should propose their artwork to the other members of the hall, either by emailing a written proposal to the hall mailing list or presenting it in person at any standard hall meeting with a quorum. The proposal for a mural must adhere to the residential art policy and all other MIT policies and include the mural’s proposed location (including artwork it might replace), size, materials used, a rough mockup, and a preliminary timeline. If any changes are made, the proposer should notify the hall again using the methods above.
Objections and Disputes
Residents are encouraged to resolve all disagreements about artwork collaboratively, with the support of graduate resident advisors (GRA), area directors (AD), and head of house (HoH) if mediation is needed. Residents who wish to anonymously object to any part of a mural proposal may contact the hall’s graduate resident advisor (GRA). The GRA will mediate the disagreement and escalate to the area director if necessary. If work has already begun and a late objection is registered, the objector and artist should attempt to find a compromise and, if necessary, bring in a GRA to moderate the discussion. If the house is unable to resolve internally, it will be referred to a panel as described in the MIT Residential Art Policy
Replacements and Removals
After considering the historical and cultural value of an existing mural, hall residents can replace a mural with a majority vote at a standard hall meeting with a quorum. A hall may also decide to remove an existing mural and replace it with blank space by a unanimous vote of all current residents of the hall. If a mural is to be replaced or removed, the original mural must be carefully photographed and documented, including the date it was painted and the original artist’s name. This documentation should be sent to ec-historian-current@mit.edu.
If a mural by a current resident is being removed or replaced, the artist must be notified and given an opportunity to object using the process detailed above. If no objection is raised, the artist may retain or dispose of the artwork as they see fit. If the original artist is not a current resident of East Campus, the historians will make an effort to contact the original artist, who has seven days to respond to reclaim the mural board. If no response is received, the artwork may be placed in the hall’s communal storage space or be muraled over at the hall’s discretion.
Materials and Work
Murals may only be painted on 80-inch-tall fire-rated panels that are compatible with the art panel layout plan and the panel system installed in each hall. Whenever possible, the murals should be created in the makerspace. If painted in the hall, drop cloths and other protective covers must be used, and materials cannot be left in hallways overnight.
Materials for muraling are supplied by the artist. Oil-based paints and combustible materials (including paper, plastics, vinyl, or wood) cannot be used to create murals. If items are adhered to a mural, water-based adhesives must be used.
Preservation and Documentation
All murals must be documented by the East Campus historians. Once a new mural is completed, the proposer must email ec-historian-current@mit.edu with a photograph of the mural, the names of all artists who contributed, and the date of creation. Additional information can be added at the discretion of the artist, and in the case where it concerns information about another hall resident, with the resident’s permission.
If a mural has existed in a hall for more than 4 years, the hall may unanimously vote to upgrade it into a permanent installation. The board should be scanned in high resolution and replicated. These murals will then be applied directly to a blank wall at a location decided by the hall, with approval by the House Manager. The replication of any mural through this process must be proposed to and approved by HRS, RCL, and House Team, and the hall is responsible for any costs associated with replicating the murals.
Curation of Murals
A mural decision-making committee, consisting of the area director, house operations manager, and an EC student liaison, will make determinations of how to handle murals that may be objectionable to summer programs during the summer period and other times when guests are present. Housing & Residential Services will take care to turn around or remove a mural (in that order) and will minimize the wear and tear on the mural. If a removal is necessary, the hall will make appropriate arrangements. Otherwise, HRS will store the identified mural in a safe, climate-controlled room without direct sunlight and return it promptly by the beginning of Residence Exploration (REX). The mural decision-making committee will explicitly inform the dorm via email which murals are objectionable, when removed murals will be returned, or when they can be uncovered or turned back around.
Summer Storage
In line with the residential art policy, murals considered objectionable for minors or visitors may be turned around, covered, or moved (in that order). Determinations will be made by the mural decision-making committee. If a summer program objects to a mural, it may be turned around, covered, or moved at the discretion of Housing and Residential Services.
Other Reasons for Removal
When building repairs, maintenance, or construction will affect a mural, the hall where the mural is located should be notified at least 24 hours in advance, if possible. The mural will be removed, temporarily stored, and reinstalled when the work is complete. If the mural cannot be returned to its original location, the hall must decide where to place the mural at a standard hall meeting, or by another means of decision making at the hall’s discretion.