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Updated: Controversy Deepens as Second ‘Remember Iryna’ Mural Rises on Federal Hill

April 4, 2026/Nancy Thomas

by Nancy Thomas

Images: Left, original site at Snow St – Center, sketch out of Federal Hill site – Right, nearing completion, Mural #2

Controversy is intensifying around the large, unfinished mural of Iryna Zarutska on a Snow Street building in downtown Providence.

Amid the controversy, some new developments:

A second mural is now going up—on the side of the Opa Restaurant on Federal Hill. Owned by immigrant families, Opa felt moved to offer their location, much smaller and off the beaten track. The artist, Ian M Gaudreau was busy at work last night, involving the community passing by with the mural process. The design has shifted to a compelling close-up of Iryna’s face—now seeming to peer directly at passersby along busy Atwells Avenue. Late last night, the artist returned to work in a narrow alleyway, continuing the piece in a more intimate, eye-level setting.  Not lost on Easter week observers: what seemed to die on Friday is now rising again by Easter morning.”

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New “Remember Iryna” Mural in Providence

Designed and installed late on Friday on a wall of Opa, in Federal Hill, home to a century-old Italian community, and the heart of Italian dining and tourism in Providence, RI. It is in its last stages of completion on the day before Easter:
Ian Gaudreau’s new mural

Decommissioning the Original Mural Stalls—Frozen in Place – While plans called for the original mural—about 75% complete—to be removed by Boston Building Wraps, no action had been taken as of publication. Calls on social media have urged the company to ‘not touch it’ and to ‘refuse the job.’ The mural is not under city directive, as it sits on the privately owned building of The Dark Lady. There have been suggestions that it should be kept just the way it is – to go beyond a Iryna remembrance and become a remembrance of what happened in Providence, RI – the arts capital of the state, tied up in political knots that were never part of this. In fact, some are now suggesting that removing the mural could prove even more controversial than leaving it unfinished—its current state becoming part of the story itself. What began as a tribute may now be evolving into something else entirely—a reflection of a city caught mid-debate, with the mural itself frozen in that moment.

Randy D’Antuono, owner of 19 Snow Street and The Dark Lady, provided a statement exclusively to RINewsToday:  While people on all sides of the controversy of the Remember Iryna mural in Providence are upset at a level that surprised everyone involved, no one is more disturbed that Randy D’Antuono, a business owner who tried to do a kind thing, to reach beyond his daily business, and offer up a blank canvas for a cherished remembrance effort. When reached yesterday, and under advisement not to talk further about what has been happening, Randy provided a statement exclusively to RINewsToday:
“The mural on the Dark Lady will be removed.  Buck and I made this decision to support my community’s desire. These past few weeks have been a nightmare with no end in sight.  The mural has now sparked more attention both nationally and locally with yet another home in Providence.  My biggest priority is navigating the unrest my community feels.  For the past 37 years, I have worked tirelessly to support them and I will continue to do so with strength and determination.  They are number one to us.”
A Change.org petition to preserve the mural continues to grow, reaching 12,467 signatures. A separate petition calling for its removal has drawn just 14.
Political Lessons Learned – Campaign season has amplified the issue. What began with comments from Mayor Brett Smiley escalated quickly, fueled by more direct criticism from challenger David Morales and an ongoing wave of social media reaction—now spreading well beyond Providence. One TV commentator said, “for a small state, Rhode Island sure does punch above its weight in creating news”. One local anchor kept using “right wing” to describe the backlash from “liberals” – whatever that meant – and however incorrect.

Questions – Should the ‘Remember Iryna’ mural remain in its half-finished form—or be taken down? What is the purpose of public art, and who decides? Should it comfort—or challenge? Inspire—or provoke? And when a work becomes this large, this visible, does it change how a community reflects, reacts, and remembers as it moves through daily life? At work. Having dinner at home. Going out for the evening. Shopping. Getting on – a train.
Past articles on the Providence mural:
This is a developing story – leave your comments here:
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1 Comment

  1. Joseph Del Sesto on April 4, 2026 at 7:23 pm

    John. I think we have several BLM and George Floyd murals along the Prov River in Providence, which no one is talking about! Why is this mural offensive and divisive but not those?!?! You should capture pics of those murals to demonstrate the hypocrisy!

    Reply

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