The upscale New Jersey pizza restaurant Brick and Dough replaced a 2021 mural with something that TikTokers find unappetizing. Commenters on the new mural artist’s videos not only disliked the look of the painted pizzas, they took issue with the erasure of the original, which depicted two elderly women—one Black and the other white. The new one is just pizzas.
While the restaurant owner insists that the replacement of the 2021 mural with a politically neutral image has nothing to do with politics, the timing—amid widespread corporate rollbacks of DEI initiatives—has led many to see it as a symptom of larger cultural backpedaling.
Why the Brick and Dough mural mattered to so many
In 2021, Montclair pizza shop Brick and Dough: A Wood Fired Eatery commissioned street artist Jayemaich to paint a mural on the front of the building. The artist specializes in large scale paintings of black and white faces, particularly ones with deep wrinkles and eyes that shine with emotion.
According to Montclair Local, the 2021 mural titled “The Curse of Socrates” was meant to convey the message that “those who are the most moral are also those who are taken advantage of the most by the power structures and systems in place.” The women’s wrinkles represented the way that oppression wears on the body and mind.
This was a common theme four years ago, not too long after George Floyd’s murder led to massive protests in the summer of 2020. But the political winds have changed since then, as have the policies of many companies.
Brick and Dough owner Jason Rosenthal, however, said that he only wanted to give Flaum an opportunity and felt it was a good time for a change.
“I wanted to highlight our style of pizza,” he said in an interview with Montclair Local. “I just felt it was time for a little change. And I had a friend who I grew up with–a childhood friend–who was starting to bud into her career, so I gave her the opportunity and that was that.”
TikTok reacts to the new mural: ‘Such a travesty’
According to Rosenthal, the new Brick and Dough mural went up six months ago without much of a fuss. In fact, he says the locals love it, even if a couple say they miss the original. So he can’t understand why the controversy is erupting now.
@artbyjenflaum Loved meeting so many kind people in Monclair!
♬ original sound – Art by Jen
Clearly, the man hasn’t been on TikTok. Outrage over the loss of the 2021 mural began after the new one’s artist, Jen Flaum, posted video footage of herself sketching and painting the wall on April 12, 2025. The post gained 26.2 million views in a week and a half, plus thousands of comments, many of them negative.
“Wow just saw the OG mural and yall covered it with…pizza?” wrote @sassyclassy53. “It’s like taking a national park and turning it into a wal mart parking lot.”
A bunch of the top comments direct TikTok users to look up the original or say that once they did, they understood the reaction of the person in the video who seemed upset.
“Holy victim complex,” said @surovibain. “The first lady wasn’t even a Karen or the slightest bit rude about it. And if y’all knew what the original mural was, her dismay makes complete and total sense.”
@the7thfist ♬ Me and the Devil (Instrumental) – Luke Muzzic
A second video showing the finished product gained 5.9 million views and the same kind of response, plus mixed reviews on Flaum’s piece.
“Good art. But such a travesty to replace the original,” said @tessabobessa04, “anyone interested should search brick and dough nj old mural. It’s the black and white faces. It was incredible and thought provoking.”
“This mural sums up America in 2025,” wrote @.the.jen.
Why the mural change feels political
After President Donald Trump won the 2024 election, major companies and organizations started dropping official diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts like they were hot, but in a bad way. Trump and his administration did the same to the federal government starting on day one after his campaign railed against the very concept for many months, supported by scores of far-right groups and pundits.
Forbes came up with a list of 40 of these DEI-ditching institutions earlier this month. As June approaches, companies are starting to drop out of Pride events right and left.
Liberals and leftists have accused them all of “complying in advance” with a predicted crackdown on private organizations who dare to do even the bare minimum to help out marginalized populations in the U.S. The timing of the old Brick and Dough mural replacement seems to be aggravating these frustrations. Even if they don’t blame Flaum for doing her job, some feel like it’s a symbol of troubling times, at least.
“No because my conspiracy theory is the owners felt like they had to change the original mural because of the political climate and that’s devastating if true,” commented @lizzybomb1718. “No hate to the artist.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Brick and Dough and Jen Flaum for comment via email.
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