Hopes renew for mural restoration

About eight months after it was abruptly painted over, a small portion of Kent Twitchell's six-story "Ed Ruscha Monument" -- part of a hand, about 18 by 18 inches -- has become visible as the result of testing to determine whether the mural can be saved.

Twitchell's mega-mural, a six-story portrait of artist Ruscha on the exterior wall of a Job Corps training center in downtown Los Angeles, vanished when it was painted over by work crews in June, sparking public outcry and a legal battle among building owners, contractors and the artist. A trial date in a lawsuit has been set for Nov. 6.

Eric Bjorgum, one of the attorneys representing the artist, says the public should not expect to see the rest of Ruscha's image anytime soon. "I think the paint can come off, but there's a question as to whether the chemical used to remove it will soften the underlying layer of paint," Bjorgum said Friday, adding that other damage issues may complicate a restoration.

"This is by no means a done deal. We don't know if it can be restored, but at least it's promising," the attorney added.