Photograph by Kevin A. Roberts
Lewis Greenberg’s lawn is covered with signs that say “Keep Out” and “No Trespassing”—but they’re not the first thing you notice. The signs are hidden amid a cluster of homegrown artwork that surrounds the Ballwin resident’s house. The art, dubbed “Holocaust Revisited,” consists of a series of Stars of David, wooden planks, and decorative rocks arranged in a wild jumble.
Greenberg’s attorney, David Howard, explains the art is Greenberg’s response to Holocaust deniers and a tribute to the victims. A passerby might think these tumbleweeds of brightly painted wood are as much the product of an unbalanced mind as they are protest art—it’s all just so…intense.
And make no mistake: It is loathed by Greenberg’s neighbors. More than 90 percent of the subdivision’s residents signed a petition. “It keeps growing and growing and growing,” says one neighbor.
“I think it has devalued all our properties, and I don’t think this is a place for a sideshow.” The city of Ballwin took Greenberg to court, and late last year he was fined $2,000 and sentenced to 20 days in jail for violating ordinances against littering and storing hazardous materials, explains Howard. An appeal’s been filed, and at press time, both sides are waiting to hear from the court.
“This is not about the city trying to regulate art,” says Ballwin city prosecutor Keith Cheung. “It’s the city trying to protect the safety and welfare of the public. The art is sharp and dangerous.”
Howard disagrees. “This is Lewis’ art. He’s a retired art teacher [in the Ladue district]. This is how he expresses himself,” says his attorney. “This has First Amendment implications.”
