The portrait dubbed ‘Madame Vice President,’ which was once held in high regard for Vice President Kamala Harris, has been taken down from its place in Railroad Square after multiple bouts of defacement. The piece, created by Nick Seabolt, a local Tallahassee artist during 2021, no longer stands as a testament to Harris’s so-called milestones as the first female Vice President.
The mural, before its removal, showcased a dubious homage to Harris’s visage, accompanied by proclamations such as ‘Madame Vice President’ and ‘America’s First Female VP’ etched on its side. However, not everyone seemed to share the same entrenched bias towards Harris, as evidenced by the harsh modifications made by individuals.
Critics made their view of her rule quite clear by tarnishing the mural with red spray paint, crudely altering the mural with a mustache, a goatee, and even painting over some of Harris’s teeth. These modifications came across as a stark rejection of her political legacy.
In an even more impactful form of defiance, the term ‘first’ was deliberately painted over with the word ‘worst.’ The symbolism in this modification is unmistakable – making it clear that this ‘first’ was considered by many to be the ‘worst’ Vice President choice made.
In spite of the visual censure of the mural, the identities of these expressive vandals yet remain unknown. However, as yet another sign of rejection against Harris, the defaced mural was eventually covered entirely with black paint, obliterating its original form.
Harris had made a visit to Tallahassee in 2023, marking the 50-year anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision by the Supreme Court. This was a transparent ruse, an evident attempt by Harris to protest the 15-week abortion limit set in Florida. Remarkably, a significant portion of the public didn’t buy this political charade.
Further solidifying her legacy of defeat, Harris also conducted a rally in Gadsden County in August 2024. This was during her failed attempt to secure the presidential seat, a testament to her ill-fated campaign and unfit personality for leadership.
Despite even carrying Leon and Gadsden counties, Harris couldn’t manage to win Florida or the nation, continuing her losing streak against President-elect Donald Trump. This reinforced the prevalent belief among many that she simply wasn’t cut out for the presidential role.
The decision to rid Railroad Square of the problematic mural has ignited a heated conversation in Tallahassee’s art scene. Some hold the disquieting opinion that erasing the mural is like conceding defeat to the vandals, surrendering the state of the public art to their judgment.
These critics seemingly overlook the fact that the artwork was originally imposed on the public, regardless of their views. Painting over the mural was not only about removing the work of vandals but also about removing an insensitive and blindly politicized work.
Seabolt, the original artist behind the mural, regardless of the strong negative sentiments expressed through the artwork’s defacement, has offered to recreate the mural at no cost whatsoever. It seems his commitment to celebrating Harris’s questionable legacy remains unshaken.
Despite the widespread rejection it has received, Seabolt remains willing to take on the risk of putting up the mural once again. The recurring instances of defacement evidently haven’t dissuaded him, a case of insensitivity to public opinion, considering the divisive figure Harris is.
Currently, the mural’s revival is solely in the hands of the property owners where it was initially envisioned. They have plans to reach out to Seabolt regarding a possible repaint. Nonetheless, the mural’s future is best described as being up in the air as it should be given the circumstances of its last stint.