When paint is outlawed
Some would call it a graffiti law. I call it stupid:
A federal appeals court Thursday blocked the city from enforcing part of an anti-graffiti law that prevented people between the ages of 18 and 21 from buying spray paint and broad-tipped markers.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the city’s request that it temporarily let aspects of the law remain in effect while the appeals court considers whether a judge was right to find in favor of artists who challenged it.
Graffiti’s not art, it’s vandalism. But banning age groups from buying paint is stupid.
June 9th, 2006 at 10:33 am
I have a friend who is a bomber from way back. He’s done some incredible work, some of it legal, some of it not, but all of it amazing. There’s an overpass on the NYState Thruway that he rocked so hard nobody has touched it for over a decade. He did a cube truck that turned heads wherever it went.
Another friend of mine is an working artist and only turns to rattle cans every few years. He does ethereal murals that make you want to turn all the city’s walls over to him.
Some graffiti is vandalism and some of it is art motivated by a philosophy. Sometimes it’s both at the same time. Juvenile tagging doesn’t do much for me, but large format paintings in the bomber style can be art.
If you want to see something really cool (and legal) in this vein, check out David Ellis and the Barnstormers. Their motion painting, http://www.freshwatercatfish.org/work/?show=motionpainting&work=truck, is online. They also did an antiwar piece called Letter to the President that was just amazing and got lots of praise at art shows all over the country.
June 9th, 2006 at 10:51 am
Art and vandalism are not mutuality exclusive.
I do wonder about professional groups like Tat’s Cru, They paint murals for business but I wonder if there’s an element of “protection insurance” included.
And then there’s the fony paystation thingy. (my blog entry)
June 9th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
Does this law include a “straw purchase” provision for those under 18 and older than 21?