Original description in Portuguese:
“A remodelação da Pastelaria Mexicana, em 1962, sob o projeto de Jorge Ferreira Chaves, destacou-se pela colaboração do artista Querubim Lapa. Este criou um revestimento exterior em azulejo, com uma composição abstrata de elementos geométricos, marcando a fachada e entrada do estabelecimento.”
Automatic English Translation:
“The remodeling of Pastelaria Mexicana in 1962, under the project of Jorge Ferreira Chaves, was notable for the collaboration of the artist Querubim Lapa. He created an exterior tile covering with an abstract composition of geometric elements, marking the facade and entrance of the establishment.”
Supporting information in Portuguese:
Critério: Excelente local para descobrir uma peça de arte única. O QRcode leva ao site oficial com informações do artista e da obra.
Supporting information automatic translation to English:
Criteria: Excellent place to discover a unique piece of art. The QR code leads to the official website with information about the artist and the artwork.
This nomination was NOT ACCEPTED by the community for the following reasons: Other Rejection Criteria Temporary/Seasonal or Not Distinct
I submitted the following appeal:
This nomination is for an officially endorsed point of interest by Lisbon’s Council. In the supporting photo you will see what the officials placed next to this mosaic tile panel, a QR code that leads to the site: In Situ Lisboa - Pastelaria Mexicana with information about the well-known plastic artist and his works of art. This publicly available, seen from Google SV, etc. You can confirm the location is absolutely correct. Again, this wayspot is for a public permanent display of works of art. Should be available to everyone.
The appeal was REJECTED with the following note:
Thanks for the appeal, Explorer! The nomination in question does not meet the Wayfarer criteria as it is a normal facade which seems to have no significance. If this assessment is not accurate, please resubmit the nomination with additional context. We recommend you review the Wayspot Criteria and Forum Criteria Discussions Library sections before submitting your next Wayspot contribution: Wayfarer — Niantic Technical Support and Help Center and Forum Criteria Discussions Library — Wayfarer Help Center
Who are these Niantic people who decide that an officially endorsed Portuguese public artwork seems to have no significance?
Who are these Niantic people who don’t even read the provided information and resources?
I’ll not judge the volunteer reviewers who have looked at it and thought it was temporary or not significant, but I think I can judge how poorly a task is being executed by people who are paid to do this all day long. Can someone from Niantic have a look at this?
Hi @s3w2 I am moving this to general discussion area as it is not what this appeal area is for. There is no formal route to Appeal and appeal.
Hopefully this can be discussed in the general section.
Sometimes having seen it the wayfarer team will overturn the appeal
Do remember that we are all human and not only can volunteers make errors sometimes but so can staff.
Thanks for moving it to the right place and hopefully increasing the chances of this being seen by the Wayfarer Team.
Do remember that we are all human and not only can volunteers make errors sometimes but so can staff.
We all make mistakes. But, having this in mind, I find it hard to identify this as a genuine mistake. This wasn’t a wrong press of a button, or pasting the wrong canned appeal response. Someone who is working on appeals (a function that carries additional responsibility) gave their personal and very subjective view over a nomination submitted with factual, objective and substantial data.
It almost feels like they only looked at the pictures and thought “yeah, these look like my aunt’s bathroom tiles”.
Hopefully, we’ll get an update from the Wayfarer Team.
There has been an ongoing problem where the Appeals workers are leaning into the disparagement of artistically and culturally important material.
“Appears to be a normal artistic sign with no significance.”
“A normal painted poetry that is not distinctive or unique.”
“A normal architecturally and historically significant former hospital building.”
An explorer needs only to witness one of these rejections to reconsider participating in the Wayfarer process at all.
I hope this get reversed. Looking at the website and seeing the art more up close, you see that the artist even signed the piece. I don’t think most workers putting up a facade sign and date their work.
Unfortunately, this does appear to be the case. One of my oldest (rejected) appeals was a historic building in my community on the National Register of Historic Places, which Niantic staff stated had no significance. It’s hard to argue something is historically significant if being on the National Register of Historic Places doesn’t make it historically significant in some people’s eyes.
It makes nominating cultural & historic locations more challenging than it should be. Obviously, rejections happen, mistakes are made, it’s just frustrating to be told your only recourse is to resubmit the Waypoint. It’s such a strange disconnect- having staff members tell you a Waypoint isn’t eligible so they rejected your appeal, while also telling you a Waypoint is eligible and you should resubmit it.
General reminder to try and keep discussions on topic and not to stray too far from the original.
Edit:
I have now removed the sequence of comments that had gone too far from the focus of this post.
Let’s just leave this as it stands as there is a clear support from the community that this is artwork.
