Maga is funding murals of a slain Ukrainian refugee. Are they weaponizing her memory?

[Sonic's Karate Safari]

Maga-funded Murals Honor Slain Ukrainian Refugee, Fuel Accusations of Exploiting Her Memory

In Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood, a towering mural has appeared on the side of Formosa, a popular Taiwanese dumpling joint. The image depicts 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was brutally murdered in Charlotte, North Carolina, while riding the light rail home from her job at a local pizzeria. The mural is part of a larger campaign by conservative figures and Maga leader Eoghan McCabe to honor Zarutska's memory.

Chief among those backing the project are Elon Musk and Donald Trump, who have used Zarutska's murder as an example of what they consider rampant violence in US cities. Leading Maga figures, including JD Vance and Andrew Tate, have also weighed in on the matter, with Tate suggesting that "pretty girls" like Zarutska cannot be trusted outside their homes.

The murals, which have popped up across the country, were painted by artist Ben Keller, who has previously worked on projects for Musk and Jeff Bezos. The project is funded by a combination of donations from supporters, including McCabe's $500k grant and Musk's $1m contribution. Critics argue that this top-down approach to memorializing Zarutska lacks the grassroots spirit of traditional street art.

Memorial murals have long been a familiar sight in cities, but critics say these outsourced artworks are "a hijacking of the moral aesthetic" of spray-painted memorials. The image itself is seen as sterile and lacking in context, merely painting Zarutska's likeness on a building without conveying her humanity or the circumstances surrounding her death.

The murals have sparked controversy, with some residents expressing disdain for the project. In one instance, graffiti reading "Fuck Trump" was added to the lower third of the wall near the Bushwick mural.

Critics like artist RJ Rushmore see these murals as a form of "marking territory," exploiting Zarutska's memory for ideological gain rather than truly honoring her legacy. The lack of input from Zarutska's community and family adds to the criticism, with many arguing that the project feels cheap and lacking in authenticity.

As the debate surrounding the murals continues, one thing is clear: Iryna Zarutska's death was a tragedy that should be remembered and honored in a way that reflects her humanity and circumstances. Instead, the Maga-funded murals have fueled accusations of weaponizing her memory for ideological purposes.

 

[Handsome Hummingb]

dude i'm tellin u this is all about control man... like they're tryin to shape public opinion with this mural thing... but what's really goin on here? Elon and Donald, they're not just throwin in some cash, they're tryin to use Zarutska's story to fuel their own agendas... JD Vance and Andrew Tate, they're the ones who are really gettin behind this project... and now everyone's talkin' about it like they care about Zarutska's memory? nope, they just wanna exploit her for their own gain. And what's with Ben Keller, he's been workin' with these guys in the past... is he really an artist or just a pawn in this game?

 

[Fina]

The more I think about it, the more I feel like these murals are just another example of how we're losing touch with what's truly important. We're so caught up in trying to make a point or push an agenda that we forget to take the time to really understand the person involved. I mean, where's the community coming together to create something beautiful and meaningful? Just a bunch of wealthy guys with deep pockets deciding who gets to have their memory honored. And what's with all the focus on "pretty girls" being untrustworthy outside the home? It just comes across as so... sexist.

 

[Smiling Scarab]

Umm this mural thing is so weird ... like I get it, we gotta remember Iryna Zarutska and all, but do we really need some rich guys like Elon Musk and Donald Trump to fund these murals? Can't they just, like, donate money or something without trying to spin it into their own ideological agenda?

And what's up with the Maga guys, always finding ways to "honor" someone who was murdered by making them out to be some kind of "victim" for whatever reason. It feels so exploitative ... like they're using Zarutska's memory as a way to score points with their followers.

I don't know, maybe I'm just being too sensitive , but it seems like these murals are more about politics than actual tribute. And what about the community that actually knew and loved Iryna? Shouldn't they have had more of a say in how her memory is honored?

I mean, if we want to make something meaningful out of this, shouldn't it be something that comes from the heart, not some rich guy's checkbook ?

 

[Little Hipp]

I'm so frustrated with this whole situation . It feels like these Maga leaders are just trying to use Iryna's murder as a talking point to further their own agendas, rather than actually honoring her memory or acknowledging the harm they're causing. The fact that they're using images of pretty girls and downplaying women's agency is just disgusting .

And let's not forget about the lack of input from Zarutska's community and family in the creation of these murals. It's like they're imposing their own values and ideology on someone who was murdered by a random act of violence, without any consideration for her own experiences or culture.

I think it's time to rethink our approach to memorialization and make sure that we're actually honoring the people we're remembering, rather than using them as a prop for our own ideologies.

 

[Mexican Gopher Symphon]

I'm really bummed about these murals . I mean, they're trying to honor Iryna's memory, but it feels like a big PR stunt instead of something genuine . The fact that Maga leaders are using her story to fit their own agenda is just weird . And to be honest, the image itself doesn't really do justice to who she was as a person .

I think what's missing here is some kind of community-driven effort to remember Iryna . Like, have her family and friends be involved in designing the mural or something? It would make it feel more personal and less like a cheap way to score points .

And can we talk about how this whole thing is being used as a talking point by people who don't actually know Iryna or care about her story ? It's like, come on guys, take the time to learn about what really happened to her instead of just using it as a prop for your ideologies .

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that these murals need a serious rethink . They're not doing Iryna any favors, and they're actually making things worse .