An Indianapolis coffee shop painted over a Jules Muck mural Friday because the store's owner objects to one of the artist's past paintings that has been called racist.

Rabble owner Josie Hunckler said she learned Thursday evening of a 2018 mural by Muck that depicts a chimpanzee sporting a gold tooth and a thought bubble filled by a marijuana leaf. Muck painted the chimpanzee near New Orleans' Lincoln Beach — a waterfront amusement park designated as an African American gathering place during the segregated 1950s.

Hunckler said she no longer wanted Muck's depiction of jazz singer Nina Simone on an exterior wall of Rabble, 2119 E. 10th St.

"I painted over the Nina Simone portrait I commissioned and paid for because some of the artist’s other work was racially insensitive to the point of bothering me and many of my friends and customers," Hunckler said.

The chimpanzee image, which included Muck's "Muck Rock" signature as a mustache on the animal, is suggestive of a racist trope.

"Unfortunately, having Nina Simone’s portrait on our spot was overshadowed by some of the artist’s previous work," Hunckler said. "I chose to take it down to ensure a peaceful work environment and neighborhood place."

Muck, who returned to her home in Venice, California, this week after painting dozens of murals in Indianapolis, said she's ashamed the chimpanzee mural "hurt people."

"I admit ignorance, inability to see the big picture, inability to see other people’s viewpoints on it," she said. "I didn’t see. I missed it. I apologize profusely."

Someone painted over the New Orleans mural before Muck returned to do the task, she said. Although a photo of Muck with the chimpanzee mural no longer resides on her Instagram profile, a screencap exists.

"Yes, I painted a monkey," she said. "I had no association of that monkey with any race. I’ve never thought that way. I grew up in New York and Europe, and it just didn’t enter my mind."

Muck said ethnicity didn't factor in her choices of the gold tooth and marijuana leaf.

“I was putting gold teeth on everything at that time," she said. "That was my shtick.”

Regarding the marijuana: "I was trying to help a newly sober person. He was having a hard time with his friend smoking weed. I said, ‘They look like monkeys, they’re being stupid. Why would you want to do that?’ And we painted the painting."

Muck wrote about the removal of the Simone portrait, but did not mention the chimpanzee painting in New Orleans, on her Instagram profile:

"People with twisted views put their eyes on my work and see evil. I do not support racism in any way, when I paint a black hero or any hero I do it to inspire others and because they are cherished. The bottom line is we are losing to a greater evil because we are knocking each other down. Now this portrait is gone for no reason. Public art belongs to the public."

Muck said she didn't expect to face opposition from Rabble, a community-focused coffee shop, and members of the creative community. Earlier this summer, Indianapolis artists voiced a sense of "Muck Rock" fatigue because of her volume of work and how it may affect the local art marketplace.

"I think the worst part of this is that the people who are speaking out against myself or my work are the exact people I want to love and support," she said. "We have the same values and viewpoints, and that’s why it’s horrifying."

Hunckler said she did not speak with Muck before the mural was removed.

"I have to do what’s right for my customers," Hunckler said. "I commend her for her work ethic, and I think she’s a very talented painter."

In mid-August, Hunckler told IndyStar she suggested a mural of Simone because her music frequently is heard inside Rabble and the business hosted a Simone tribute event in 2017. Hunckler said she is pursuing a new mural for the wall.

The removal of the Simone portrait is the latest conflict related to Muck's work in Indianapolis:

After Muck painted rabbits having sex on an exterior wall of Beholder restaurant, 1844 E. 10th St., last October, neighbors labeled the image “tacky,” “offensive” and unsuitable for viewing by children. Beholder's landlord painted over the mural.

Muck made national headlines this month by painting a mural of Larry Bird accented by 11 tattoos on the side of a Fountain Square home. The basketball icon disapproved, and his attorney and Muck negotiated a revision in which a single tattoo — "Indiana" on his forearm — would be displayed.

Controversy also greeted a recent portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. at 451 E. 38th St., future home of the Lavengood Team real-estate company. The image features rainbows flowing from the civil rights leader's eyes, and it originally included Muck's "Muck Rock" signature on King's forehead in a manner suggestive of a tattoo. She removed the words after receiving negative feedback on social media.

"As soon as I heard people were upset about the signature ... I went there and took it off," Muck said during an Aug. 19 public forum organized by the Arts Council of Indianapolis. "I did have to clear it with the building owners, because that’s not my mural anymore."

Indianapolis musician Marc Williams attended the forum, where he mentioned that Muck removed a comment he made on her Instagram profile related to seeking community opinions before painting an image of King. Muck said she deletes comments that don't promote her work.

"I feel (King's) image is important and it should be respected," Williams said during the forum. "People should get to have an input when his face is used."

"Many times I’ve misstepped and I offend somebody," Muck said. "I have done it so many times. Does that mean I shouldn’t paint in public? I don’t think so."

Similar to the rest of Muck's Indianapolis murals, the artist received permission from property owners before painting King, artist Frida Kahlo, Holocaust victim Anne Frank and musician David Bowie on the Lavengood building.

"They sat with me and discussed who they wanted to paint and why," Muck said.

Williams said someone with more local knowledge could have suggested late Indianapolis poet Mari Evans and late Indianapolis Congresswoman Julia Carson as portraits to accompany King.

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Call IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at 317-444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.