subscribe to this page
Defacer With Mystery Agenda Is Attacking Street Art
By COLIN MOYNIHAN
Someone out there has a problem with art. Or at least a certain kind of art and artist.
The evidence is the bright green and purple splashes of paint that began appearing on walls in Brooklyn and Manhattan more than a month ago. The carefully aimed blobs obscured or disfigured dozens of pieces of street art created by people who may not be household names, but who have achieved the esteem of peers and some recognition from the mainstream art world. The targets of the paint attacks have included posters, paper cutouts pasted on walls, and images stenciled on the sides of buildings.
Many of the paint splatters were accompanied by messages printed on plain white sheets of paper and pasted near the splatters. Those communiqués appeared to condemn the commodification of art, but it is difficult to be sure what the messages really mean. One reads, in part, "Destroy the museums, in the streets and everywhere." The author has kept his or her identity a secret.
Word of the covert actions spread quickly through the street art community. Web logs began documenting the splatters. Soon the unknown protagonist was named the Splasher.
Jesus2.0 - tape sculpture from mark jenkins and the Graffiti Research Lab (GRL) at EyebeamSaturday, May 6
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Corner of York and Jay St. (Brooklyn) MAP
By subway: Take F train to York St.
New York photobloggers Jake Dobkin (bluejake.com), Mike Epstein (satanslaundromat.com) and Will Sherman (untitledname.com) lead a tour of graffiti and street art covering DUMBO, Gowanus and Red Hook. We’ll see the latest stickers, throw-ups, paste-ups, murals and more. About 10 miles with frequent stops to see the art, and a stop for food and drink.
UPDATE 5/3/05: The ride is on. Please check back on the morning of May 6 for a final decison regarding rain and bad weather.
Questions? email will at untitledname.com
See other events in Bike Month 2006.