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NYC Loses Its Stripes: Graf Mecca 5 Pointz Is Covered In White Paint
5-pointz-nyc-white-paint-lead
Photo Credit Clay Austin
New York City graffiti mecca 5 Pointz faces certain death after receiving a coat of white paint. The Long Island City landmark has remained a point of contention between street artists and developers at odds over the fate of the hulking ode to hip-hop culture. The battle between owner/developers Jerry and David Wolkoff and the 5 Pointz community was prompted by the Wolkoff’s initial plans to demolish the site to clear space for luxury housing. Advocates for the living installation lost their battle to save the place late last night when the building’s owners gave it a fresh coat of white paint under the watchful eye of local police. The news – a decidedly huge blow to the thriving international street art community – comes just days after a rally to preserve the space considered sacred to so many writers and graf enthusiasts. Supporters reacted in a series of mournful Tweets that capture a range of emotion from the bittersweet to outright rage. It is clear that the move to mute 5 Pointz has incited anger and made waves around the world. Take a look at the tweets below to get a taste of the public outcry over the death of 5 Pointz. Take a look at the catalog of artwork from hundreds of artists prior to the recent destruction via 5ptz.com
Nothing's stopping the graffiti artists from finding a different building on which to put their art. No shortage of derelict warehouses in this city. I still haven't seen a decent explanation for why they needed *this* building in particular to continue to be the city's primary graffiti canvas. Graffiti by its nature is temporary, and 5Pointz would re-scrub the building periodically to allow for new art, so there was no permanence here, either.
Firstly it is privately owned property...so how is it that vandals, I mean "artists" have the audacity to graffitti, I mean paint, all over a building without the permission of the owner and then demand it stay forever? Huh? If it was so important to the "artists" they had 20 years to purchase the property OR purchase another property to exhibit their "art."
Attempting to control/confiscate privately owned property because you painted on it is just outrageous. I have been sitting on my neighbors stoops every day for 20 years, and now they are selling the building and knocking it down...I demand it not be sold because I have been sitting on these stoops for 20 years! My friends too! What an injustice and greedy owner...how dare they!
If the "art" is deserving of preservation, the artists can purchase the building, or the city can purchase the property at market value from the owner and maintain it in its current state. However, attempting to confiscate the property from the owner, and all the raucous around that, should really scare people...without property rights there is no civilization.
...without property rights there is no civilization.
Something tells me that you'd be and have been the first to cheerlead the city using eminent domain to throw up shiny new developments. Just the impression I get from you.
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