Gate / February 23, 2010 9:59 AM

Wouldn't it be interesting if they just turned that into a permanent graffiti wall where young hooligans could do some legit work. I would like to see how it would evolve. It might end up creating more interest than some of the dusty overpriced crap inside.

bee lake / February 23, 2010 1:42 PM

all the crap in the modern wing looks mighty nice.
i wonder how much money they spent acquiring all of the "legal graffiti" they bought?

Danny Hein / February 23, 2010 5:37 PM

Finally we can see art at the modern wing with out spending $18.

Vanessa Ruiz / February 24, 2010 7:08 AM

I think juxtapozing this "dirty" quick graffiti against the clean sterile lines of the modern wing is fantastic. Even if you don't agree with the placement, you have to admire the guts of these artists and all the planning that probably went into pulling this off without getting caught.

Christian / February 24, 2010 8:03 AM

I hope the Art Institute documented the piece before it was taken down, something to add to the collection, it could be presented along with the video of it being made, a dirt cheap modern art acquisition.

urban heatmap / February 26, 2010 11:27 AM

For me it's one more historic step like banksy gradual uprising, Tate modern intervention, the pichação in Choque Cultural, hobbo novel in London, BNE in NY...

My work goes all around this subject (check:http://urbanheatmap.blogspot.com/), as a researcher a producer and creative protagonist. The reflexion until now led me into the conclusion that there are several fronts that must be worked simultaneously to deal with this issue, this fronts are:

1 transmit to the responsible technicians (architects, designers, engineers ...) that this kind of manifestations (not only graffiti) are effective realities like other construction and management constrainments (ex: the rain, the wind...) this way they could act in full knowledge and not only put it in the same drawer (vandalism) that broken glass. Ignore, incorporate, defend, and others are possible postures, but the most important it's to be conscient of the decision.

2 talk, talk, talk, give space to dialogue, improve participation, involve into the community all the ones that what to make creative and positive inputs into the public space, discuss in conferences, talks, workshops, spread the knowledge about how it works, clarify the preconceived notions trough multidisciplinary and socially unsegmented forums, publications, inventories, historic references, improve research and non commercial communication.

3 incorporation into the urban landscape giving conditions for big productions, at the same time defining policies for small interventions, cleaning fast and protecting (point 1) all the surfaces that are for some reason aren't suitable, promoting the positive practices trough honest freedom.