Residents of Seaside, California are familiar with the strict and often ridiculous rules enforced by their local officials. This was recently highlighted when Etienne Constable received a letter from code enforcement asking him to build a structure to hide his boat parked in his driveway. The letter stated that large vehicles should be out of sight, and a six-foot fence was the suggested solution. While some may have been frustrated by this demand, Constable chose a more creative approach to comply with the order.
The Constable, a resident of Seaside, has a boat parked in his driveway. When he received the letter from local officials, he felt it was excessively officious and unnecessary, especially in a state like California, which has many more pressing issues to address. In an interview with local media, Constable stated, “I’m not a rule-breaker, but I like to make a political statement as necessary, as well as a humorous statement and a creative statement.”
After considering his options, Constable decided to build the fence as required by the code enforcement, but with a twist. He consulted with his neighbor and artist, Hanif Panni, to paint a photorealistic mural of his boat on the fence. This would effectively hide the boat from view but in a more creative and visually appealing way. The end result was a realistic and impressive mural that gives the illusion of the boat still being there.
ARTFUL COMPLIANCE | A Seaside man responded to a city letter ordering him to build a fence in front of his boat by painting a mural of the boat on the fence.
Read more: https://t.co/ePWRlhqkGC pic.twitter.com/xBhZ5gXdf5
— KSBW Action News 8 (@ksbw) May 11, 2024
The painted fence quickly went viral and became a hit on social media. Constable’s clever solution and Panni’s artistic skills received widespread praise and admiration. However, the reaction from the city officials is still unknown. Constable admitted that he initially wanted to leave a “nasty” message for the officials but chose to comply in a more creative way instead. The city has yet to weigh in on whether the fence meets the rules, but it has garnered a lot of attention from local news stations and social media.
The artist, Panni, has also received a lot of positive attention for his contribution to the mural. He is a strong advocate for public art in public spaces and hopes that this will encourage more artists to utilize their talents in unconventional ways. The attention and recognition he has received have also led to more opportunities and requests for murals on “boat fences” from other residents.
A beautiful example of malicious compliance. This guy seems like someone we’d get along with!
— Jenn Cheng (@THATJennCheng) May 10, 2024
Constable and Panni both expressed their surprise and elation at the positive reaction their project has received. They did not anticipate the level of attention and are humbled by the support and praise they have received. As of now, the artist has been asked to create more murals for other “boat fences,” and Constable has become somewhat of a local celebrity for his clever and creative approach to dealing with local rules.
While the city officials have not yet commented on the fence and its compliance with the rules, it is clear that Constable’s solution has achieved its intended purpose. Not only does the fence hide the boat in an artistic and pleasing manner, but it has also sparked a conversation about the strict regulations enforced by local officials. It remains to be seen if this will lead to any changes in the future, but for now, Constable and Panni are content with their success and the positive impact it has had.
